The Kittle Things: DAZN's Original Series Goes Beyond the Gridiron

George and Claire Kittle discuss their lives and chat with Charles Barkley

There are plenty of athlete-led podcasts out there. But most of the conversations are devoted to, well, sports. And that makes sense for a certain audience. Namely, sports-obsessed fans who want to hear every play, trade and strategy discussed and dissected.

What’s not so readily available is content that delves deeper into athletes’ lives and interests off the field—content that appeals to a wider range of fans. Which is where The Kittle Things comes in.

Hosted by San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and his entrepreneur wife Claire Kittle, the debut episode of the series finds the pair recounting how they got engaged before diving into a conversation with Charles Barkley (who just might scare you off ever playing pickleball). Future guests include WWE superstar Mike “The Miz” Mizanin.

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The show comes from DAZN, the streaming and entertainment platform, in collaboration with Team Whistle (which is DAZN’s data-driven content arm) and Exhale Fear Productions (the Kittles’ production company). Episodes are available on DAZN and The Kittle Things YouTube channel as well as across Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Describing the show as “human, relatable and entertaining,” Dustin Fleischman, EVP of revenue and brand strategy at Team Whistle, says research shows that the appetite for such lifestyle and pop-culture content among sports fans is undeniable.

Some of DAZN’s key findings:

• 75 percent of fans like relationship-focused video content.
• 95 percent enjoy seeing athlete couples in fun, challenge-driven formats.
• 80 percent want to explore athletes’ personal sides, hobbies and passions.

“By leaning into these insights, we’re creating something fresh that resonates with fans’ desire for more personal, authentic and lifestyle-driven storytelling around their favorite athletes,” he says.

Fleischman credits George and Claire Kittle with embodying a mix of star power and relatability.

“George is a larger-than-life personality and true crossover star—equally at home at a country music concert, a celebrity golf outing or a WWE event,” says Fleischman. “Claire complements him as a notable influencer and well-known WAG, with her own strong following and presence.”

T-Mobile recently signed on as presenting sponsor of The Kittle Things. Little Caesars, Lysol and PrizePicks are segment sponsors.

Brand interest in The Kittle Things has been strong across categories because “the show is designed to resonate with a wide range of audiences and attract a broader fan base, making it a powerful platform for partners,” Fleischman says.