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Why is George Kittle not playing tonight vs Seahawks? Injury update as 49ers TE, wife Claire cheer from the couch
Ahead of Saturday’s playoff matchup, Claire shared a photo of the couple at home, writing, "Happy divisional gameday. We will be cheering from the couch."
George Kittle is not playing tonight in the San Francisco 49ers’ NFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks due to a serious injury.
What happened to George Kittle?
The star tight end suffered a torn Achilles tendon during last week’s NFC Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kittle was injured in the second quarter of the game after being tackled on a 6-yard reception from quarterback Brock Purdy. He was immediately carted off the field and did not return.
Kittle was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 13 and was scheduled to undergo surgery to repair the torn tendon the following day.
Kittle breaks silence
In his first public message since the devastating injury, Kittle shared an emotional Instagram post reflecting on the moment and the support he has received.
"Football sucks sometimes. But I love it. I love these guys and this team. Heartbroken but have felt so much love and support from everyone reaching out. I’ll be good. Thank you. We aren’t done yet! Also when your team owner is the first person to meet you in the locker room, you know you’re in a special place. Cheers, all my love," he wrote.
Wife Claire shares emotional update
Kittle’s wife, Claire Kittle, a social media influencer with nearly 500,000 Instagram followers, also opened up about the emotional toll of the injury.
"Disbelief and stillness were all I felt as I yelled, get up, get up, over and over again. He always gets up. He's George. He can do all things. He just does it. It hurts. There’s no preparing for it. I love this man with everything I have in me," she wrote.
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Cheering from the couch
Ahead of Saturday’s playoff matchup, Claire shared a photo of the couple at home, writing, “Happy divisional gameday. We will be cheering from the couch."
When will George Kittle return?
According to the Mayo Clinic, recovery from Achilles tendon surgery usually takes four to six months before most patients return to normal activity. In some cases, full recovery can take up to a year, especially without ongoing strength and stability training.
