Purdy‑Kittle Remain NFL’s Top‑Ranked QB‑TE Duo, Per PFF

Standing Among the Elite

The San Francisco 49ers’ signal‑caller and primary tight end sit just outside the very top of Pro Football Focus’s all‑time QB‑TE rankings. With at least 75 targets recorded, Brock Purdy and George Kittle sit fourth overall, posting a blistering 0.750 EPA per play. Only three quarterback‑receiver combos top that figure: Justin Fields‑DJ Moore, Drew Brees‑Kenny Stills and Sam Bradford‑Adam Thielen.

What separates Purdy and Kittle is the quality of their partnership relative to other tight‑end pairings. Their 0.750 mark is the best any TE duo has achieved in the PFF sample, narrowly outpacing Jon Kitna‑Jason Witten. The duo’s efficiency comes on a volume far greater than most of the names above them.

The dominance isn’t a flash in the pan. Over four seasons (2022‑2025) Purdy targeted Kittle 269 times—more than any other top‑15 pair by a margin of at least 52 attempts. Those connections yielded 3,035 yards, 26 touchdowns and a 139.7 passer rating, underscoring sustained chemistry.

2025 Season Performance

In the most recent campaign, Purdy and Kittle still ranked fifth among qualified tight ends, logging a 0.59 EPA per play. The season saw 41 catches on 49 targets for 475 yards and five scores, with zero interceptions. This marked their fourth consecutive year inside the position’s elite tier, and they have never slipped below a 0.58 EPA mark.

The consistency highlights a rare level of reliability for a primary receiving option at the tight‑end spot. Even when the offense shifted, the duo kept producing at a high rate, keeping the 49ers competitive throughout the year.

The Rise of Jake Tonges

San Francisco added another premier tight end to the mix in 2026. Jake Tonges posted a 0.58 EPA per play, landing just behind Kittle on the league‑wide list. He hauled in 20 of 27 targets for 213 yards and three touchdowns, boasting a 40.7% positive‑play rate that topped Kittle’s 36.7% for the season.

Tonges’ emergence turned a already elite tight‑end room into a three‑deep threat, a rarity for any franchise at this position. The back‑to‑back rankings illustrate the depth the 49ers now possess, giving Purdy multiple high‑quality options to attack defenses.

Historical Context and Future Outlook

Only two tight‑end combos in the PFF era have cracked the top 15 all‑time duos while maintaining at least 75 targets: Purdy‑Kittle and the historic Kitna‑Witten pairing. Every other top‑15 entry involves a quarterback‑wide receiver partnership, often built on smaller, more explosive samples rather than four years of sustained volume.

The depth at tight end could reshape San Francisco’s offensive identity, especially if Kittle misses the season’s opening weeks while recovering from Achilles surgery. Tonges, who already filled a significant role last year, should be ready to shoulder a larger share of the target distribution, keeping the offense balanced.

As the 49ers enter training camp, the combination of Purdy’s improvement, Kittle’s potential return timeline, and Tonges’ rapid ascent suggests the team now possesses one of the league’s most productive tight‑end rooms. If health holds, the duo’s ranking may climb even higher, cementing their place among the all‑time great QB‑TE partnerships.