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- George Kittle wife: Claire Kittle
- George Kittle dad: Bruce Kittle
- George Kittle mom: Jan Krieger
- George Kittle sister: Emma Kittle
- George Kittle uncle: Pat Coen
- George Kittle cousin: Henry Krieger-Coble
- Where is George Kittle from?
George Kittle has been an NFL star ever since he was drafted out of Iowa.
The former Hawkeyes tight end has racked up All-Pro and Pro Bowl nominations throughout his professional career with the 49ers, becoming one of the best at his position throughout the late 2010s and into the 2020s.
However, Kittle isn't the only one with athletic accomplishments in his family. From his wife and mother, both former basketball players, to his dad, also a former Iowa football star, Kittle has been surrounded by athletic excellence for most of his life.
Here's a full breakdown of Kittle's family.
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George Kittle wife: Claire Kittle
George Kittle's wife is Claire Kittle. The two met when they both attended the University of Iowa, as Claire played basketball at the school. She first played high school basketball at Wahlert Catholic High School, becoming a McDonalds All-American nominee. Then over her Iowa career, Claire averaged 1.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
A knee injury ended Claire's college career in her senior season, something she spoke about in 2017.
"Without awful knees I know I would have accomplished more on the basketball court, but because of the trials my knees brought, I am the strongest person I know," Claire wrote on her blog, Letty Set Go. "Life can get you pretty down from time to time but it's never the end. Make a goal, see it happen and work your butt off to make it a reality. The pits make the peaks that much sweeter."
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George and Claire got engaged in 2018 and have been married since 2019, as they eloped prior to the 2019 NFL season before a larger wedding with friends in 2021.
"I had always looked up to those people who ran away and eloped or just walked right up to the courthouse and left married. Thought it was so cool!" Claire wrote about the ceremony in 2019. "We knew football was starting up again and Lord knows nothing but football gets done during football season. So we pulled the trigger and planned this wedding in a week!"
They now live in Nashville, Tennessee, together with their dog, Deenie. It's at their Nashville home where the Kittles host the annual event "Kittle Fest", which is a fundraising event that supports various initiatives and includes musical performances, food and other entertainment.
In 2023, Claire Kittle revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy, providing details on social media.
"On Christmas morning George and I took a pregnancy test while the rest of our family waited to open presents downstairs," she wrote in an Instagram caption. "We were about to see the greatest gift, a positive test.
"Fast forward to Jan 10th I had a routine ultrasound putting me right around 7.5 weeks pregnant. The nurse giving my ultra sound went silent for awhile and I asked, 'I’m still early there’s probably nothing to see yet right?” She responded with 'I see a pregnancy here it’s just not in the correct place, it’s ectopic … I felt my soul leave my body as I knew exactly what that meant."
Claire is very active on social media, with nearly 400,000 Instagram followers, especially with supporting George's career.
"G I am so happy that I get to live this life with you, that I get to travel to all your games, that I get to kiss you on the field. I believe wholeheartedly there’s nothing you can’t do," Claire wrote on Instagram after Super Bowl LVIII. "You’re an amazing athlete but an even better person."
In 2025, Claire and George Kittle joined Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and others for a "Tight End University" event. Specifically, Claire helps host the "Ladies Luncheon," which is for the wives and significant others of NFL tight ends.
📸| More Photos of Taylor Swift at the Tight End University Event last night! pic.twitter.com/ay4MHSQJqs
— The Swift Society (@TheSwiftSociety) June 24, 2025
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George Kittle dad: Bruce Kittle
George Kittle's dad is Bruce Kittle. Long before his son took his talents to the Hawkeyes, Bruce Kittle was an offensive lineman for Iowa in the 1980s. In fact, he was a co-captain of the 1981 Big Ten Championship team, and he was on the 1982 Rose Bowl squad. Bruce graduated from Iowa in 1983.
Bruce went on to coach football after his playing career, including stints as an assistant at Oklahoma and Iowa. He also received degrees from University of Iowa College of Law and the Chicago Theological Seminary, per his website, and taught in the Iowa City Community School District, the University of Iowa Athletic & Physical Education Departments, and at the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Bruce's law career has been significant as well, from belonging to the Iowa Association for Justice and the Wisconsin State Bar, to being licensed to practice law in the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the 7th and 8th Circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals. Alongside him teaching at Wisconsin Law School, Bruce previously worked as a specialist for the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services and served as a mediator for the Iowa Peace Institute.
As of recent years, Bruce Kittle was working as an attorney for Petrzelka & Breitbach of Cedar Rapids from 2013-19, focusing on criminal defense, according to his LinkedIn. After coaching offensive linemen in high school for a year, he co-hosted the "Hidden Pearls Podcast" and describes himself as a "life coach."
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That podcast, the "Hidden Pearls Podcast," was hosted by Bruce, George and Emma Kittle. Bruce told NBC Sports in 2023 that the goal of the podcast was "connecting with people through storytelling to help heal and serve the world.” Guests on the podcast included Travis Kelce, Greg Olsen and more, although the Kittles haven't released an episode since 2024.
Before all of his games, George will spend time reading letters from his dad about the tight end's journey and what more he has to accomplish. That tradition between the two began when George was still at Iowa.
“It’s evolved from just a pregame hype speech to a pregame story,” George told The Athletic about the letters in 2020. “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.”
In the same story, Bruce added that "my letters are my vision of what George needs to hear to keep his head on straight," such as "keep his feet on the ground, make sure his ego is in check and be the guy he needs to be for his team.”
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George Kittle mom: Jan Krieger
Yet another athlete in the Kittle family is George's mother, Jan Krieger. She was inducted into the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union Hall of Fame, and attended Drake University as a softball and basketball player. She earned All-America honors in basketball, as she scored 1,846 total points while at Drake.
Jan often shares her passion for photography, posting portraits of her family on Instagram. In 2024, she shared that her work would be displayed at the Nine Muses Gallery in New Mexico.
In 2023, George said that his mom has always inspired him to "dream big."
“She’s just always been such an encourager of me and my dreams and my imagination,” he said on the "Your Mom" podcast. “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.”
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George Kittle sister: Emma Kittle
George Kittle has one sibling, his older sister Emma Kittle. Continuing the athletic success, she was a decorated basketball player at Iowa City West High School, named female high school athlete of the year by "Iowa City Press-Citizen" in 2009.
Emma Kittle earned all-state honors in both basketball and volleyball in high school, and like her father and brother, she took her talents to the University of Iowa, where she played volleyball. Later on, she transferred to Oklahoma.
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Emma told NBC Sports in 2020 that sports have played a huge role in the Kittle family's lives.
“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,” Emma told NBC Sports. “George and I were raised outside, so a lot of times we were either on a farm or doing something together, but once it became time for us to play sports ... our parents were such a big part of it and they were always our coaches.”
According to her website, Emma now is a yoga instructor who aids NFL players "looking to enhance and lengthen their careers." She runs "Hidden Pearls Studio," which is another extension of the wellness-focused "Hidden Pearls" brand that the family has engaged with through podcasting, a website and an app.
"I collaborate with speed and strength coaches to maximize our time and ensure the work is translating into results," her website says. "I understand how to teach and explore the softer side of strength and have seen the growth that comes from bringing active recovery into training regimens."
Emma's husband is former Pirates pitcher Cody Ponce. The two have been married since 2023. Ponce now plays in the Korean KBO League, and Emma has moved to the country with him and often shares her travel journeys with over 33,000 followers on Instagram.
George Kittle uncle: Pat Coen
George Kittle's uncle is Pat Coen. It's Pat who inspired the tight end's support for the military, as he served multiple tours with the National Guard.
In February 2025, Kittle was named the recipient of the NFL's Salute to Service award, which recognizes the "exceptional efforts made by members of the NFL family to honor and support the military community."
"I am incredibly thankful and honored to be this year's Salute to Service Award recipient. This is my fourth time being nominated by the 49ers, which is an absolute honor because it's important to me to show gratitude and support to the military," George Kittle said in a statement when he won. "My appreciation for the military stems from watching my Uncle Pat serve multiple tours with the National Guard and seeing firsthand how much it impacted him and his family while he was overseas. Without my family and their unwavering support, I would not be able to create these genuine and authentic relationships with the real heroes and the ones who should be receiving this award, the active-duty members, Veterans, TAPS and families that have lost loved ones in the line of fire.
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The support you see for the military around the league is so important and the fact that guys on every team do it, not just the nominees, is awesome. We are allowed to live the lives we live here because of the sacrifices they make, so we're just trying to honor them, show our support, and share as much love as we can."
On Veteran's Day in 2022, George posted that his uncle was a "hero" to him.
My Uncle Pat has always been someone who has inspired me! He spent years in the military and came back to continue serving his community as a teacher.
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) November 11, 2022
This #VeteransDay, I want to recognize him as being a hero to me and to his community.
More coming soon. @realtruck pic.twitter.com/vmfbY9h2QM
George Kittle cousin: Henry Krieger-Coble
One of George Kittle's cousins on his mother's side is Henry Krieger-Coble, who is a former NFL tight end. And just like plenty of family members, Krieger-Coble attended Iowa to play football.
After coming out of Iowa for the 2016 draft, Krieger-Coble went undrafted, then signed with the Broncos. Primarily with the practice squad, Krieger-Coble remained with Denver until July 2017, then had stints with the Colts and Rams. He was last on an NFL roster in 2018.
The two cousins played three seasons together for Iowa, both being tight ends. Kittle called it a "dream come true" to play with his cousin in 2015.
“We really haven’t had time to think about all that’s happened this year,” Krieger-Coble told ESPN in 2015. “I think we’ll look back on it in the future and enjoy it a lot more.”
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Where is George Kittle from?
Kittle was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He later moved to Iowa, attending Iowa City West High School in Iowa City, Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa, then Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma.
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