George Kittle to Miss Eight Weeks with Broken Foot

Do you think the 49ers regret making George Kittle the highest-paid tight end of all time this offseason?

Maybe not. But since they gave him that unprecedented extension, Kittle has gotten injured twice. First, he injured his knee Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals and missed the next two games. And now, this past Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, Kittle broke his foot while he caught his second and final pass of the game, and will miss a whopping eight weeks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Meaning Kittle most likely will miss the rest of the regular season. He could return if the 49ers make the playoffs.

Which means Kittle probably will play just six regular-season games this season. And through those six games, Kittle has caught 37 passes for 474 yards and two touchdowns. Not exactly what the 49ers paid for.

Kittle plays an extremely physical brand of football -- he’s the best blocking tight end in the NFL and the hardest-playing member of the 49ers. Or he was before he signed his mega extension. And he usually plays through injuries. He’s had rib injuries and shoulder injuries and knee injuries that affected him but never kept him out for long. Coming into 2020, Kittle had missed just three games in three seasons. Now, he will miss roughly 10 games in one season. And he’ll turn 28 in 2021. He may have passed his prime. If so, it came and went awfully fast.

In retrospect, the 49ers should have given Kittle the franchise tag instead of a five-year, $75-million extension. Oops.