George Kittle creates even more 49ers history against the Seahawks

George Kittle continues to add to his 49ers legacy.

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) takes the field before the game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers close out the regular season with a 13-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

As a result, the 49ers missed out on the No. 1 seed in the NFC after a performance with no touchdowns, as their offense struggled against a strong defense.

The 49ers can only be the fifth or sixth seed now, depending on the result between the Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals. A Rams win puts the 49ers as the sixth seed and third in the NFC West.

The performance was a surprise considering their impressive numbers from the past three games, in which they scored 37, 38, and 42 points. However, while the offense was restricted to just a field goal against Seattle, only one major positive emerged from the result.

George Kittle continues to add to his 49ers legacy

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) practices before the game at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Tight end George Kittle bolstered his legacy in red and gold on Saturday night.

At 32 years of age, Kittle overtook wide receiver Terrell Owens to become second on the all-time 49ers receptions list, with 595 for the organization.

It looked as though Kittle was on path to claiming this feat two weeks ago against the Indianapolis Colts, but he was injured after one of the best performances of his career. That halted the possibility, but after a week off, against Seattle, he ensured he overtook Owens.

Kittle only needed three receptions but made five in the game, catching all but one of his targets. Despite the 49ers’ struggles on offense, he made important catches to try to prolong drives, even though there wasn’t much success in the red zone as usually expected.

From 801 total targets, Kittle has caught 595 of them, ranking him at an astronomical 74.28%. He's a reliable weapon and their best receiver, yet, he still doesn't get the coverage he deserves.

But just as importantly, the performance today saw him reach the 8,000+ receiving yard barrier. He’s still got a little way to go to catch Owens’ 8,572, but it can be assumed he’ll be comfortably clear in second on the all-time stats in both metrics by the time he hangs up his helmet.

There’s no doubt he won’t reach the legendary levels of Jerry Rice. Rice is, without question, the greatest receiver in NFL history.

But Kittle’s newest accomplishment is a reminder of his own greatness, earning plaudits as he continues to build a truly remarkable legacy for the organization.

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