George Kittle Keeps it Real when Grading the 49ers' 2025 Season

George Kittle reflects on 2025.

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

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle provided the most honest assessment yet of their 2025 NFL season.

In Kyle Shanahan’s ninth year as 49ers head coach, he has led the franchise to two Super Bowls and two NFC Championship Games. While a run only to the Divisional Playoff might suggest this season isn’t among his best, 2025 proved otherwise.

The grade George Kittle gave on the 49ers' 2025 season

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

Speaking of the past season, Kittle shared: "I missed the first couple of weeks. We lost Brock Purdy for several weeks. Then we lost Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and we still won 13 games.

"Jeez Louise, boys— good job. Everyone told me it was a rebuilding year because we lost all these pieces. We didn’t have any money to spend on people in FA, and we figured out a way to win 13 games and go into Philadelphia and win a playoff game.

"That’s pretty damn impressive and our goal every year is to win a Super Bowl— did we achieve that goal?

"No. But a lot of guys got a lot of good reps and like I said, winning 13 games as a team who lost 5 of their 6 most expensively paid players for an extended period of time is pretty awesome.

"So I give it an A or B+, we’ll go with that.”

As Kittle alluded to, injuries on both sides of the ball and still making the playoffs is an achievement in itself.

If the roster is capable, the organization is always judged by how far it goes in the season. After all, the 49ers are one of the NFL’s most storied franchises, and any measure of success is ultimately determined by whether the team goes all the way to the Super Bowl.

Kyle Shanahan should have won Coach of the Year

Realistically, Shanahan should have won Coach of the Year.

He was denied an accolade he has yet to earn. Don't forget that for most, if not all of the season, he was coaching with last-string players at numerous positions. Despite the obvious holes that need addressing this offseason, the year will be remembered as a success.

The 49ers exceeded all expectations despite these injuries and adversities, but now is the time to bolster the roster with weapons that could push them even further, as the team’s aging roster is becoming more evident.

If Shanahan didn’t win Coach of the Year in 2025, he may never win it. But that doesn’t take away from just how impressive his coaching truly is.

Nov 24, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan walk off the field after defeating the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images