money Who Is George Kittle's Wife? All About Claire Kittle
Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire/Getty
George Kittle has found a teammate for life.
The San Francisco 49ers tight end has been married to his wife Claire Kittle since 2019, whom he met as a freshman at the University of Iowa. The couple eloped after getting engaged in 2018 and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, during the NFL offseason. They share one puppy together, a Bernedoodle named Deenie.
Claire is a huge supporter of the four-time Pro Bowler, attending every one of his games — home or away.
"G you are a constant inspiration to me & everyone around you," she wrote on Instagram after the 49ers lost the NFC Championship game to the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 30, 2022. "The love you have for this game is so admirable. Your teammates love you with everything they have, it's such a great group of men in that locker room. You were so resilient this year. Maybe your toughest year yet. You handled everything thrown at you with a calm confident attitude. You're my super hero and I'll always be rooting for you."
So, who is George Kittle's wife? Here's everything to know about Claire Kittle, the Iowa native married to the 49ers star.
She and George met while attending the University of Iowa
Claire Kittle Instagram
Claire and George first crossed paths in 2012 at the University of Iowa when they both were freshmen. George was standing outside his dormitory with his roommate when he saw Claire in the parking lot. But, according to the tight end, it wasn't exactly love at first sight.
"I saw her and I was like, 'Goddamn, who is that?' " George recalled in his 2018 proposal video. "He was like, 'Oh, that's Claire. Actually, one of my friends says she's a total b----.' "
But, George said he wanted to "find out for myself," so he went up to her and commented on her bright pink moped helmet. After that, the football player spent the next eight months in the "friend zone" before the two began dating.
She's an athlete like George
Claire Kittle Instagram
Claire played basketball throughout her time at Wahlert Catholic High School, becoming the school's third all-time leading scorer and a McDonald's All-American nominee. At the University of Iowa, she played for the Hawkeyes all four years, averaging 1.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Unfortunately, a recurring knee injury ended her career during her senior year of college — but, according to the forward, it's something she wouldn't change.
"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, in 2017. "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."
The 49ers were involved in her engagement
Claire Kittle Instagram
When George decided he wanted to propose on August 10th, 2018, he knew he needed a convincing cover story. So, he told her that the 49ers staff was doing a piece on couples in the NFL, and would follow them with photographers to shoot candid moments.
But, the night before the proposal, George hurt his knee in a preseason game. When he began trying hard to make his rehab work around the photo shoot, Claire got suspicious, so it was up to his mother, Jan, to throw her off the scent.
"As I was getting ready, she came into the room and said, 'Claire, I know you might be thinking that he's going to propose, but I know for a fact that he isn't because the ring isn't ready yet,' " she recalled on her blog. "When she told me this, I was instantly sad and a little disappointed. I thought this would be the most opportune time for him to do it."
And when the couple showed up to Santa Cruz's Twin Lakes State Beach with photographers, videographers, lighting staff and drones from the 49ers media team, Claire was none the wiser.
"The photographer finally said, 'Now, I want you to turn around and face George,' " she wrote. So, I turn around and there he is … down on one knee and looking as handsome as ever!I had the biggest smile on my face and I literally couldn't believe what was happening! Then, he said, 'Claire Bear, I think it's been long enough, will you marry me?' It was such a George thing to say, and it was absolutely perfect!"
She and George eloped in April 2019
Claire Kittle Instagram
George and Claire shocked fans when they posted their out-of-the-blue nuptials in April 2019. And, according to Claire, the ceremony was a bit of a surprise to the couple as well.
"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 of 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!"
The couple held their ceremony at a family friend's jewelry store in Iowa City, in honor of a promise ring George got for her from the shop after he was drafted in 2017. To commemorate the occasion, the store also outfitted Claire, her mom Shelley, George's mom Jan and his sister Emma with tons of bling, including diamond necklaces, bracelets and earrings.
George's father, Bruce, married the couple in an intimate ceremony with only immediate family in attendance. Afterwards, the group celebrated with guitar music by Claire's brother Riley and matching "C" and "G" cookies.
She and George got married again in April 2021
Claire Kittle Instagram
The couple originally planned to hold a larger party for friends and family in Italy in June 2020, but it was put on hold due to the pandemic. So, exactly two years after they eloped, George and Claire "brought Italy home" in a romantic backyard wedding held at their Nashville home.
Due to forecasted rain, the couple and their 32 guests were moved into a tent for the reception. Claire wore a sleeveless trumpet gown with lace detailing, while George sported a black tuxedo with a red handkerchief.
She had an ectopic pregnancy
claire kittle/instagram
Claire revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy in an Instagram post shared on Feb. 14, 2023.
"On Christmas morning George and I took a pregnancy test while the rest of our family waited to open presents downstairs," she wrote in the caption. "We were about to see the greatest gift, a positive test."
She included photos of her and George kissing in front of a Christmas tree, a snap of her positive pregnancy test as well as a video of George telling their family that they were expecting.
In the caption, Claire noted that she learned that the pregnancy was ectopic during a doctor's appointment weeks later.
"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 wrote. "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."
She recalled deciding to go into surgery that night and ended the post by recognizing her husband and family. "We leaned on each other like we never have before," she wrote of George. "Im thankful my mom, dad and Georges parents were all here to help us."
She's passionate about fitness and bodybuilding
Claire Kittle Instagram
While she and George lived in Iowa City, Claire ran a personal training business called Claire Till Fitness and taught barre classes, according to her LinkedIn. And, in 2018, she entered her first bikini fitness competition, training for 19 weeks and ultimately losing 20 pounds for the show.
"I left that venue with a sense of accomplishment and I was damn proud of myself," she wrote at the time. "I may not have ended up #1, but that's not the point. I gave it my all and learned an incredible amount through the process. In the end the big takeaways I learned are to never sell yourself short, never say I can't and do not ever let your sense of self worth be based on the opinions of others."
Now, she and George stay active together in their garage home gym.
She and George live in Nashville during the offseason
Claire Kittle Instagram
Both Iowa natives, Claire and George don't live in the Bay Area full-time. When George isn't playing for the 49ers, the couple (along with their Bernedoodle, Deenie), reside in Nashville, Tennessee, to be closer to family.
After selling the first home they owned together, George and Claire moved into a brand-new space in April 2022.
She and George love comic books and video games
Claire Kittle Instagram
The couple shares a love for all things nerdy, dressing up as different comic book and video game characters each year for Halloween. In the past, they've been Spiderman, Halo's Master Chief and Cortana and Batman and Catwoman, to name a few. George even got a tattoo of his football alters ego, the Joker, on his forearm the day before his 2019 wedding.
She's supportive of George's backyard golfing
John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated/Getty
After watching the Masters tournament in 2021, George revealed that he and a friend were inspired to mow a six-hole golf course into his 75-acre property. But Claire didn't need much convincing, either.
"It might have been her idea too," he noted in an April 2022 episode of the I Am Athlete podcast. "She's like, 'Why aren't you guys outside golfing?' Why are we inside? It's a beautiful day.' [My friend and I] looked at each other and we're like, 'That's a good idea! Let's hop on the mower.' "
"It's an absolute blast," he added.
