Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 17

George Kittle Calls 50-Foot Flagpole His Favorite Splurge on 178-Acre Tennessee Ranch

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Sep 17

George Kittle Calls 50-Foot Flagpole His Favorite Splurge on 178-Acre Tennessee Ranch

Q: What drove a double amputee veteran to risk his safety on a busy interstate just to rescue a discarded piece of cloth?

Tony Mullis acted out of deeply personal respect for the U.S. flag and what it symbolizes in military sacrifice. Mullis, a Marine veteran who lost both legs in a 2011 explosion during his second deployment to Afghanistan, said there was “no question” he had to stop when he saw the flag lying in the median of a busy Georgia interstate near Macon. He said the sight “broke my heart” because he sees in the flag “all who gave all for those colors to fly,” not “lay on the ground like trash.” That reaction reflects both his combat experience and long-standing flag etiquette. The U.S. Flag Code says the flag should not touch the ground and should be treated with dignity. While the code is advisory rather than legally enforceable, it remains a widely recognized standard of respect. So the “discarded piece of cloth” was not just fabric to Mullis. It was a national symbol tied, in his view, to fallen service members, wounded veterans and the cost of war. That symbolic meaning is what drove him to risk his safety and retrieve it.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 17

George Kittle said on the “Bussin' With the Boys” podcast that the favorite splurge he has ever bought is a 50-foot American flagpole at his offseason ranch near Nashville.
The San Francisco 49ers tight end said the pole stands beside a private football field on the roughly 178-acre property and is lit at night, making the oversized U.S. flag the first thing visible on arrival.
Kittle grouped the flagpole with other major property upgrades, including building a football field and a workout facility at the ranch.
The purchase comes after Kittle signed a record tight end contract in April 2025; by the time his current deal ends in 2029, his three major NFL contracts are projected to total about $155 million.