Chiefs' Nick Bolton calls 49ers' George Kittle a 'huge matchup problem' – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

It's not exactly a bold statement to say that 49ers tight end George Kittle is difficult to defend on the football field.

Ultimately, he was selected to five Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams over the course of his eight-year NFL career.

During the Kansas City Chiefs' media presentation on Friday, linebacker Nick Bolton — who will face Kittle on Sunday — praised one of the NFL's more unique weapons.

“He’s a big matchup problem,” Bolton told reporters about Kittle. “He’s bigger than most safeties and faster than most linebackers.”

This mix of size and speed makes Kittle incredibly difficult to bring down with the football in his hands. And Bolton knows this well, having faced the San Francisco tight end twice in his career – once in the 2022 NFL regular season and, of course, in Super Bowl LVIII this past February.

After allowing Kittle to amass 98 receiving yards and a touchdown in 2022, the Chiefs appeared to have him figured out last season, allowing just two catches for 4 yards from the 49ers' key target.

Earlier on Sunday, Bolton hinted at the Chiefs' game plan for Kittle this time around.

“We have to tailor our matches to him, get our hands on him if possible, disrupt his timing and hopefully frustrate him a little bit as the game progresses,” Bolton explained. “But I think there will be different matchups, different players will attack him a little bit, try to beat him up if we can, and then at the end just make them make tight throws and survive to face another opponent to downplay.”

With running back Christian McCaffrey still sidelined due to injury, the 49ers will need to include Kittle to have a chance at avenging their Super Bowl loss.

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast