The 49ers came out of Philadelphia with a triumphant 23-19 victory over the Eagles in the wild-card round, but they devastatingly lost George Kittle to a torn achilles injury. The All-Pro tight end—one of the most beloved figures in the league—went down in the second quarter with the injury, and will now be out until at least next season.
Kittle was quickly carted off into the locker room, where he was comforted by his wife, Claire, and 49ers owner Jed York, who ensured he had a bottle of tequila brought to him at his request.
“Football sucks sometimes,” Kittle wrote on Instagram on Monday. “But I love it. I love these guys and this team. Heartbroken but have felt so much love and support from everyone reaching out. I’ll be good. Thank you. We aren’t done yet! Also when your team owner is the first person to meet you in the locker room, you know you’re in a special place. 🥃 cheers, all my love.”
Kyle Juszczyk shared after the game
Kittle previously missed time this season due to a hamstring injury, but the torn Achilles marks the most severe injury of his professional career. In 11 games this season, he caught 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns.
The 49ers will now be without Kittle, Nick Bosa, first-round pick Mykel Williams and likely Fred Warner as they head into Lumen Field for their divisional matchup against the Seahawks. His absence will absolutely be missed on the field, but his energy will surely keep the 49ers motivated as they head into the next round of postseason play.
“He’s somebody that, even going through something that he had to go through, us finding a way to finish, he’s the first guy in the locker room smiling, bumping music, happy for his teammates,” McCaffrey said Sunday. “When you lose a leader like that, you never really lose him because his presence is still in this locker room, his energy is still here. We’re praying for him, love him, going to play for him the rest of the way.”
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- Aaron Rodgers, 25 Steelers Free Agents Who Might Not Be Back in 2026 After Playoff Loss
- Road to Super Bowl 60: NFL Divisional Round Picks for Every Game
- Steelers Made Unfortunate NFL Playoff History in Wild-Card Loss to Texans
- C.J. Stroud Trolled Steelers Fans After Texans’ Playoff Win In Pittsburgh
- Aaron Rodgers Made His Thoughts Clear on Job Status of Mike Tomlin, Matt LaFleur
This article was originally published on www.si.com as George Kittle Penned Sad Message After Tearing Achilles in 49ers' Win Over Eagles.
