All About George Kittle's Parents, Bruce Kittle and Jan Krieger

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle admires his dad and mom for their creative minds

George Kittle gets extra motivation before he takes the field from his parents, Bruce Kittle and Jan Krieger.

As part of his pregame ritual, the San Francisco 49ers star tight end reads a letter from his dad on the bus ride to the stadium or in the locker room, in which he is reminded of what he's accomplished and what is still ahead of him. It’s a tradition that started when George played for his father’s alma mater at the University of Iowa.

“It’s evolved from just a pregame hype speech to a pregame story,” George said of the letters in a 2020 interview with The Athletic. “It connects my life and childhood to every single game. He even pulls stories from battles in ‘Lord of the Rings’ and applies them to the NFL playoffs.”

“My letters are my vision of what George needs to hear to keep his head on straight,” Bruce added in the same interview. “Keep his feet on the ground, make sure his ego is in check and be the guy he needs to be for his team.”

Here's everything to know about George Kittle's parents, Bruce Kittle and Jan Krieger.

They were both athletes

Bruce was an offensive lineman for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, where he made his mark as co-captain of the 1981 Big Ten Championship team, per The Athletic.

Although he experienced a knee injury midseason, Bruce helped them get to the 1982 Rose Bowl.

He later went on to coach football, serving as an assistant at both the University of Oklahoma and his alma mater, Iowa, Bruce's website states.

George eventually played college football at Iowa and according to his mom, he was almost predestined for the gridiron.

“He was born in Madison, Wisconsin ... on a football Saturday, and we could see the stadium from where our room was in the hospital, and Bruce was like, ‘Oh, hallelujah,’ ” Jan recalled on the Your Mom podcast in 2023.

Jan, a standout athlete in her own right, was inducted into the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union Hall of Fame. She continued her sports career at Drake University, excelling in both softball and basketball, per The Gazette.

They have two children

George has an older sister named Emma, who also inherited the family's athletic genes.

Emma enjoyed a decorated career at Iowa City West High School, where she was named female high school athlete of the year by the Iowa City Press-Citizen in 2009. She earned all-state honors in both basketball and volleyball. Emma later became a Division I athlete, playing volleyball at the University of Iowa before transferring to the University of Oklahoma.

According to the multi-sport athlete, Bruce and Jan were instrumental in her and George's pursuits.

“It’s been everything to us. Sports has always been a huge part of our lives. It’s never really felt like it was just sports, though, because we were raised playing,” she told NBC Sports. “Once it became time for us to play sports ... our parents were such a big part of it, and they were always our coaches.”

Related: All About George Kittle's Sister Emma Kittle

Emma is now a yoga instructor who designs programs for “players entering the NFL combine and for NFL players looking to enhance and lengthen their careers,” according to her website.

Bruce is an accomplished lawyer

Bruce’s academic journey at the University of Iowa was as impressive as his football career.

According to his website, he earned his bachelor of business administration in 1983 and continued his studies at the University of Iowa College of Law, graduating in 1989 with high distinction and becoming a member of the prestigious Order of the Coif.

Apart from belonging to the Iowa Association for Justice and the Wisconsin State Bar, Bruce was also licensed to practice law in the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, as well as the 7th and 8th Circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals.

His career highlights include working as a specialist for the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services and serving as a mediator for the Iowa Peace Institute. In addition, he shared his legal knowledge as a former instructor at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

According to Bruce's LinkedIn, he was a criminal defense attorney at Petrzelka & Breitbach from 2013 to 2019. Afterward, he was an offensive line coach for about a year and then went on to launch the Hidden Pearls Podcast with George and Emma.

Jan is a dedicated photographer

Over the years, George has thanked his mom for her infectious creativity.

Growing up, Jan shared her love of photography with her son and daughter by taking them to art exhibitions. Today, she continues to take pictures and posts them on Instagram, highlighting black-and-white portraits of her family.

In August 2024, Jan shared with her followers that her work would be displayed at the Nine Muses Gallery in New Mexico.

“Thank you to my dear friend Stuart for including me in his vision and making my dream of showing my photographs in Santa Fe NM come true,” she captioned a clip of the venue featuring her work.

Speaking on the Your Mom podcast in 2023, George recalled his mom inspiring him to "dream big" and let his imagination "run wild and just to see where it let me go." The NFL star also revealed that her teachings eventually bled into his football process.

“She’s just always been such an encourager of me and my dreams and my imagination,” he said. “I have always appreciated that because I kind of use that, and I imagine all these awesome football plays that I might be able to do on the football field.”

Bruce hosts a podcast with George

George and his dad have teamed up for an audio show called Hidden Pearls Podcast. They are also joined by Emma, and the trio discuss different topics, ranging from wellness to family to football.

“Our mission is connecting with people through storytelling to help heal and serve the world,” Bruce explained during a 2023 appearance on NBC Sports Bay Area. "Hidden Pearls represents our belief that everyone has something special within them, often buried beneath life's challenges."

He continued, "We aim to uncover those hidden pearls — the individuals making the world a better place — and share their stories.”

Guests have included NFL stars like Travis Kelce and Jimmy Garoppolo, plus broadcasters, including Rich Eisen and Greg Olsen.

George is close to his parents

Bruce and Jan have always supported their son, and George doesn't miss an opportunity to show his gratitude.

On Mother’s Day in 2021, he penned a sweet message to his mom on Instagram.

“Happy Mother’s Day mom!! Your unconditional love for our family and all of our friends is one of a kind," he wrote. "I am who I am because of you. And thank you for being my biggest fan every single year❤️.”

That same year, the tight end also expressed his appreciation to his dad and thanked him for sharing his wisdom on life and football.

“Happy Father’s Day Pops!!! Love you man. I could go on and on about all of the things you have done and sacrificed for our family," George captioned photos of them.

He added, "And I could talk about all the lessons I’ve learned from you like treating others how you want to be treated, being mindful, to surround myself with good people.”

Bruce and Jan's in-laws are also athletes

When it came to choosing life partners, both Kittle children gravitated toward athletes.

George and his wife, Claire, eloped in 2019 — Bruce officiated the ceremony — and hosted another wedding in 2021.

Related: Who Is George Kittle's Wife? All About Claire Kittle

The couple met as students at the University of Iowa in 2012, where Claire played forward for the Hawkeyes basketball team.

Meanwhile, Emma married former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Cody Ponce in 2023.

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