San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle will be entering his tenth season in the NFL.

Feel old yet? It's hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by, and the devastating reality is that Kittle likely has fewer years ahead of him in red and gold than he does behind him.

The 49ers are fortunate to have Kittle, who stands as one of the franchise's greatest final-day draft selections of all time. His elite blocking, outstanding receiving ability, and infectious personality elevate the roster in so many ways.

Year after year, he continues to produce at a high level. Just this last season, he surpassed the 8,000-yard receiving mark and became just the third player in franchise history to record 500 receptions. He joins Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens, where he's in more than good company.

Kittle explained on the Up and Adams Show with Kay Adams how he tries to remain as explosive as possible as he ages.

“Train your ass off and be faster than everybody else," he shared.

"I attack every offseason, I attack every day like I’m getting ready for a game. Every time I run routes in the offseason with Brock Purdy in Nashville, I’m running each rep like it’s a 3rd or a 4th down that I have to make a play on.

"So by developing that mindset, working at a very high level, allows me to be a very good football player.”

Kittle's explosiveness could be a concern for the 49ers this year, as he will miss all of the offseason after suffering a devastating Achilles injury against the Philadelphia Eagles in last season's wild-card game.

Though he provided encouraging news in a separate interview, a Week 1 return is still anyone's guess.

One can imagine that Kittle might find the start of the season difficult, but his tenacity is one of his greatest attributes, and it would not be at all surprising if he picked up right where he left off after shaking off a little rust.

His high standards and relentless pursuit of marginal gains in his game will no doubt become even more important this year following the most demanding rehab of his career.

He will have his eye on becoming the franchise's all-time leader in touchdowns by a tight end. He's not far off, needing just three more scores to match Vernon Davis.

Kittle is the perfect role model for the 49ers and the city of San Francisco.