Tennessee senior Miles Kitselman is getting advice from one of the greatest tight ends the sport has ever seen in preparation for the 2025 season this fall. Kitselman reposted a video to his Instagram story on Friday, talking to future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski.
“Surreal moment!” Kitselman said in the caption. “Appreciate you @Gronk”
There’s no telling what sort of football conversation the two shared on their video call, but there’s no doubt that it was an impactful one. Gronk is widely considered one of the great tight ends in NFL history, and Kitselman is looking to leave his lasting impact during his final season of collegiate football with Tennessee this fall.
Kitselman, a native of Lyndon, Kansas, began his collegiate career at Hutchinson Community College before transferring to Alabama for his sophomore and junior seasons in 2022 and 2023. But after limited action with the Crimson Tide in those two years, he decided to look for a new home elsewhere. The 6-foot-5 tight end joined the Tennessee program before the 2024 season and quickly made an impact on his new team.
Kitselman finished the season with 301 yards and four touchdowns on 22 receptions. His production saw him end the year as the Vols’ fifth-leading receiver with the second-most receiving touchdowns on the team.
Now, entering his second and final year with the program, he’s primed to continue building on that. Kitselman is the most experienced tight end in the Vols’ offense and projects to be a big target for new quarterback Joey Aguilar as he gets adjusted to the system.
Kitselman is the top dog in a tight ends room that skews on the younger side. The Vols have redshirt sophomore Ethan Davis as the No. 2 in the room, but behind them are a pair of talented freshmen in Jack Van Dorselaer and DaSaahn Brame. Kitselman has stepped into a big-time leadership role this offseason – not just with the tight ends, but for the team overall. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the senior tight end as a frequent captain for games this fall.
“I think his actions follow his words,” Tennessee tight ends coach Alec Abeln said about Kitselman during fall camp last month. “I think he’s authentic with it. It’s not rah-rah. It’s not coming from a place of look at me. It’s all about, man, how can we get better as a team. I think part of it helps when you play the way that he did in the fall, that guys look up to that and say, man, I want to be a good player. Here’s a good player doing things the way that we’re asking them to do it, doing it with great attitude and enthusiasm every day. It’s hard not to want to follow a guy that does those things.”
Gronk is one of the most accomplished tight ends in NFL history with nearly 10,000 career receiving yards and 92 touchdowns on 621 receptions. He’s a four-time Super Bowl champion, a four-time First Team All-Pro selection, and a five-time Pro Bowl selection. There are few better to seek advice from ahead of a crucial season for Kitselman’s football future.
Miles Kitselman and the Tennessee Volunteers will kick off the 2025 season on Saturday, Aug. 30, against Syracuse in Atlanta.
