49ers superstar George Kittle is leaning into a vegan diet to prolong his career — but he still loves meat

• San Francisco 49ers superstar George Kittle is considered one of the top tight ends in the NFL.
• The four-time Pro Bowler has taken inspiration for his diet from his vegetarian family members.

George Kittle is one of the most lethal weapons in the NFL.

The 6-foot-4, 250-pound San Francisco 49ers tight end is virtually impossible to stop, and he's leveraged his size and skill to earn four Pro Bowl appearances over his first six seasons in the league.

And even though maintaining his muscular build is crucial to thriving at his position, Kittle has increasingly shied away from one of the more obvious sources of protein he could incorporate into his diet: red meat.

In an interview with GQ Kittle noted that he "used to have it every meal." But now, with everyone in his family cutting meat out of their diets entirely, he finds himself eating far less of the stuff.

"My dad taught me early on, don't worry about things you can't control," Kittle said. "So I'm very hands-on with the things I can control."

"Putting stuff in my body, that's on me," he added. "I've learned that my body's my business, so why not find the best way for my body to run?"

Though he knows beef, pork, poultry, et cetera is "not always the greatest thing for me" health-wise, the Iowa Hawkeyes great can't bring himself to completely kick his meat habit. He's tried to go vegan, but he was "not a fan" of the diet after eating "three vegan meals for three days in a row."

"I enjoy meat," Kittle admitted.

His workaround involves seeking out the finest cuts he can get his hands on. Kittle — or, more accurately, his chef — sources his meat from farmer's markets or directly from the farms themselves.

"I don't go to Walmart and just buy the five-dollar beef," Kittle said. "Nothing against people who do, but I try to go for higher-quality meat."

There was a time when, as an undersized kid with dreams of playing professional football, Kittle believed "all calories are good calories" and that "getting calories and protein" should be his top nutritional priority. At the time, he ate marbled steaks, burgers, ribs, and more whenever he wanted and without a second thought.

But in the years since he actually made his way into the NFL, Kittle has resolved to stick to lean meats almost exclusively.

"Chicken and steak, as clean as it gets," Kittle said. "I'm not big into much else."

"It's gone from 'eat whatever you want' to 'let's be smart about it' and 'how can we prolong your career and make you feel as good as you possibly can be,'" he added. "It's definitely dialed in more than when I was a rookie."