April 1 usually brings a familiar pattern around the NFL. Rumors start flying about players coming out of retirement, only for most of them to be dismissed as nothing more than April Fool’s jokes by the end of the day. That’s exactly how things played out when Bussin’ With The Boys posted on social media claiming that former Washington linebacker Will Compton was coming out of retirement. The post picked up traction, but the San Francisco 49ers‘ tight end George Kittle quickly stepped in to shut it down.
“No he’s not,” Kittle wrote.
No he’s not
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) April 1, 2026
That response pretty much cleared the air that Compton isn’t coming back to the NFL. But it also wasn’t just a random moment of Kittle jumping into the comments to prove what is true and what is false. There’s some history here.
Compton, who co-hosts Bussin’ With The Boys alongside former Tennessee Titans‘ OT Taylor Lewan, has had a long-running back-and-forth with Kittle that goes back to their college days. Compton played at Nebraska, while Kittle suited up for Iowa. Those two programs have a built-in rivalry, and the fan bases have never exactly been on the same page.
Even if Kittle and Compton never shared the field in that rivalry, the tone has carried over. Whenever Iowa and Nebraska come up, the jabs usually follow.
That’s exactly what happened again last season. With both teams sitting at 7-4 and bowl implications in play, Kittle went on the Scott Van Pelt Show after the 49ers beat the Carolina Panthers 20-9 and took a shot at Compton on national TV.
“Aye, Will Compton, didn’t really appreciate your voice memo on the day of my MNF game, talking crap to me about Nebraska-Iowa. Didn’t settle with me. You know what, I didn’t like it. That’s the kind of thing Nebraska does: they take cheap shots. Hey, I’m preparing for a MNF game on national TV, and you are coming to me about Nebraska-Iowa?
“That means you are scared. You are terrified. You lost by 30 to Penn State. Are you kidding me? Iowa is going to come in there and run it down your throat, and there is nothing you can do about it. Sit on the bus that doesn’t go anywhere and shut your mouth.”
Compton didn’t let that slide. He responded on social media with his own jab.
“Not surprised by Kittle taking shots at me & the Huskers on national television while I’m trying to keep my head above water. Only Iowa guys. I’d literally never spew nonsense like that on a platform like ESPN. Disgusting.”
So when Compton jokingly hinted at an NFL return on April 1, it wasn’t surprising to see Kittle jump in. The rivalry might not have played out directly on the field between them, but it’s clearly carried through over the years.
For a broader context, meanwhile, Compton retired in 2023 after a decade in the league, originally entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent with Washington following the 2013 draft out of Nebraska. Now that the un-retirement rumor has been put to rest, one thing hasn’t changed. The back-and-forth between him and Kittle is still very much alive.
George Kittle and Will Compton’s back-and-forth continues
George Kittle knew Will Compton was joking when he floated the idea of an NFL return on April 1. Still, Kittle stepped in and called it out as fake. That’s when Compton fired back, taking a subtle jab at the 49ers tight end’s recent injury.
“Pipe down little boy who can’t even run right now,” Compton wrote.
Kittle didn’t let that sit for long. He responded with a quick counter, “Taller than you and probably faster than you still :).”
The jab clearly referenced the injury Kittle suffered during the 2025 playoffs. In the wild-card game against the Philadelphia Eagles, he exited in the second quarter after a six-yard reception. It was later confirmed as a torn Achilles, which ended his season, and on January 13, 2026, the 49ers placed him on injured reserve.
As for who’s actually faster, that’s up for debate, even for Kittle himself. But height isn’t a question; he has the edge there. More than anything, this exchange just adds another layer to their ongoing back-and-forth. The April Fool’s rumor may have been shut down quickly, but the banter between the two clearly isn’t going anywhere.
