49ers TE George Kittle Reveals the Origin of the 'F-Dallas' T-Shirt Idea

A memorable day.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) catches a pass before an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has had countless memorable moments in a red-and-gold jersey.

But one moment that will live on forever came during the 2023 season, when Kittle caught three touchdown passes in San Francisco's 42-10 blowout victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium.

After turning in one of the best performances of his career, Kittle revealed an iconic "F--- Dallas" T-shirt to the cameras, which perfectly captured what the dominant win meant to the 49ers Faithful after watching their star tight end and the team dominate against their archrivals.

George Kittle discusses how the idea came about

Oct 27, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The history between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys cannot be overstated. Widely regarded as one of the greatest rivalries in NFL history, the matchup has produced countless memorable moments over the decades.

Given that feud, it was no surprise Kittle's T-shirt instantly became iconic. Appearing on the New Heights podcast with brothers Travis and Jason Kelce, Kittle explained how the idea for the shirt came together and why it meant so much after the 49ers' emphatic victory over their longtime rivals.

"When [Kyle] Shanahan and [John] Lynch first got there, they wanted people to understand the history of the Niners... one of the images that was shown to us was Gary Plummer," he said.

"He was a linebacker, and he was wearing this Dallas T-shirt pregame of a game versus Dallas. I was like, at some point in my career, I want to do that."

"I've had the photo saved on my phone for like nine years. And then I finally just got the balls to do it.

"I bought one for the entire tight end room. I think it was the 2023 season. I was the only one who wore it, but I was like, 'F it, I'm going to pull this bad boy out tonight.' And it worked. I'm really glad I did it."

Kittle was later fined $13,659 for wearing it. But he said on the Netflix documentary "Receiver" and to reporters post-game he'd do it all again.

It was a bold move by Kittle, especially knowing it would likely result in a fine, but the cost clearly didn't matter to him. Rivalries are part of what makes the NFL so compelling, and Kittle fully embraced one of the league's greatest.

The NFL could use more personalities like Kittle, having players who aren't afraid to add fuel to great rivalries and make the game even more entertaining.