The 49ers may have upset the Eagles on Sunday night, but the win came at a cost: The team lost All-Pro tight end George Kittle to an Achilles tear, meaning he'll be sidelined for the remainder of the playoffs (and much of the offseason, too).
Considering the respect for Kittle around the league, the injury hit both fans and fellow players hard. So you can imagine how big a blow it was for the rest of the 49ers squad, who have dealt with their fair share of injuries this season and already played six games without the tight end earlier in the 2025 campaign.
"Since I got traded here, he’s the heart and soul of this team, so it’s a tough loss," running back Christian McCaffrey said after the contest was over. "When he’s not playing, it means a lot."
Still, though, according to fullback Kyle Juszczyk, it also sounds like Kittle found ways to hype up his teammates despite their concern for their fallen star.
"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,'" Juszczyk recounted. "And that meant a lot."
Listen to that below:
Kyle Juszczyk on George Kittle:
— KNBR (@KNBR) January 12, 2026
"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.'" pic.twitter.com/jY7aJwe3Bt
A very conservative timeline for recovery could put Kittle back in action around the start of next season, barring any setbacks. But the process can also take around a year, which means there's also the chance he sits the entirety of next season.
We'll certainly know more soon, but in the meantime, the 32-year-old Pro Bowler will clearly be missed.
The Niners will next face the No. 1-seeded Seahawks in the divisional round on Saturday, Jan. 17. Kittle, meanwhile, will stay at home.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as George Kittle Shared Positive Message With 49ers Teammate After Tearing Achilles.
