George Kittle’s Teammates Share What His Presence Means for the 49ers

A massive figure lost in the locker room.

Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) is carted off the field after an injury during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Wild Card Round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

George Kittle's torn Achilles injury spells disaster for the San Francisco 49ers.

He will not return this season and is expected to be sidelined for several months. In a worst-case scenario, the injury could also force him to miss the entire 2026 season. The 49ers have lost one of their most important players.

Against all odds, the 49ers prevailed over the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, to advance to the Divisional Round of the 2025 playoffs.

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Post-game, the 49ers openly spoke about how significant a presence Kittle is, and will continue to be, even as he faces an extended time away from competitive football.

"This team has carried the character of George Kittle throughout the entire year, and since I got traded here, he's the heart and soul of this team," McCaffrey said. "And so, it's a tough loss. When he's not playing, it means a lot.

"But he's somebody that, even going through something that he had to go through, and us finding a way to finish, he's the first guy in the locker room smiling, bumping music, happy for his teammates.

"And when you lose a leader like that, you never really lose them because his presence is still in this locker room, his energy is still here, and he's a leader, and the heart and soul of this team. And so, we're praying for him, love him, and we're going to play for him the rest of the way."

"Man, losing George is different," Juszczyk said. "That's the heart and soul of our team. He brings so much energy, and just what an incredible player that he is, so that definitely hurts a lot.

"But even when he was down, he was still positive. I came in at halftime, and he was smiling. And he said, 'I'm not dead yet, man. I'll be back. Go win it.' And that meant a lot.

"And guys just continue to step up and find ways, even when we lose our best players, and we did enough to get the win."

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Juszczyk shared an anecdote that illustrates Kittle’s character following the most devastating injury of his career.

Despite missing part of the regular season too due to other injuries, the 49ers will press on without Kittle, losing one of their top receiving threats in the process.

No one can predict the future, but it’s reasonable to expect him to return in a red and gold jersey one day, despite the uncertainties surrounding his recovery.