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Brock Purdy warms up before the 49ers’ NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on January 20, 2024.
Back in 2021, San Francisco 49ers superstar tight end George Kittle co-founded Tight End University to help bring together tight ends to share trade secrets and bond.
The event has grown every year, and in 2025, over 70 tight ends participated.
But in addition to bringing out the best and brightest tight ends, Kittle and his crew often seek the help of a handful of elite quarterbacks to help the TEs work on their craft.
In 2024, heralded quarterbacks Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins came out to the event. Kittle’s teammate, 49ers backup QB Brandon Allen, was also there.
In 2025, a new 49ers backup QB joined the tight ends for a few days of fun from Monday June 23-Thursday June 26, 2025: Mac Jones.
But notably absent from the festivities was 49ers superstar quarterback Brock Purdy, and Kittle made sure to grill Purdy a little on NFL Live for missing the big event.
George Kittle is not happy that Brock Purdy didn’t make it to TEU this year 😂
“I do have to air some dirty laundry with Brock. He’s supposed to be here today and instead he’s golfing. Now granted it was a charity thing. He did something with Tim Tebow, which is fantastic. I’m
“I do have to air some dirty laundry with Brock,” Kittle said. “He’s supposed to be here today, and instead he’s golfing.”
Where Was Brock Purdy Instead?
Granted, Brock Purdy had to skip TEU for a perfectly understandable reason — he had previously committed to doing a round of golf with the highest bidder on behalf of the Tim Tebow foundation.
“It was a charity thing,” Kittle said. “He did something with Tim Tebow’s foundation, which is fantastic…they auctioned off a round of golf with Brock Purdy months ago.”
Purdy and Tebow are great friends off the field because of their shared Christian faith. Purdy and Tebow appeared on a podcast together with Florida pastor Joby Martin to talk about faith and their careers on an episode released back in September 2024.
Tebow’s foundation also has a strong Christian basis. It seeks to “serve those who are hurting, marginalized, and trapped in darkness in 100+ countries and counting” according to the foundation’s website.
Kittle fully supported of Purdy’s mission, but also thinks the timing could have been figured out with a little more planning.
“Two weeks ago he’s like it’s just one round of golf that I’m flying in for,” Kittle said. “So he could have done it on Monday or Wednesday and teed off at 9am.”
It sounds like the two former NFL tight ends Kittle and Tebow need to get their heads together and figure out how they can both have Purdy at their events next offseason.
Taylor Swift Made a Surprise Appearance at TEU
For this edition of TEU, co-founder Travis Kelce treated the tight ends to a surprise appearance.
It turns out that having a co-founder who is dating Taylor Swift pays dividends.
Swift made a surprise appearance at the Tight Ends and Friends Benefit Concert on the evening of Tuesday June 24, 2025. Alongside scheduled performers Chase Rice, Sophia Scott, Jordan Davis, Graham Barham, Nico Moon and Ernest, Swift performed her hit song “Shake it Off” for the benefit concert, which held about 1,200 guests including the tight ends and their families.
Speaking of “shaking it off”, there’s no real beef with Kittle and Purdy. In fact, much to Kittle’s approval, Purdy brings no drama to the Bay Area.
“I’m going into my 9th year and I’ve had 8 offseasons with quarterback controversy at some point,” Kittle said. “To have kind of a calmer offseason where all the boys are at OTAs, all the boys are hanging out, playing football, thinking football, your mind is just at ease.”
What do you think, 49ers fans? Should Purdy book his calendar now for next offseason’s TEU?
Ethan Inman is a sports journalist covering the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders for heavy.com. He also co-hosts a college football podcast for The Voice of College Football, and writes about the NBA and MLB. He has previously covered the USC Trojans, the NHL, college baseball, and the intersection of sports and popular culture for other publications. He is based in the greater Los Angeles area. More about Ethan Inman
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