A San Francisco 49ers team that’s been decimated this season by injury lost another key player on Sunday.
All-Pro tight end George Kittle suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Sunday’s wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the nature of the injury in his postgame news conference.
Advertisement
“The trainers knew before the cart came out and got word to me in the headset,” Shanahan told reporters. “Yes, a torn Achilles.”
Despite the injury, the 49ers went on to a 23-19 win to end Philadelphia’s season and advance to a divisional round matchup against the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of the regular-season finale for both teams. Like they’ve done all season, the 49ers persevered through injury to pick up the win.
Kittle’s season, meanwhile, is done. And he’ll face a long road to recovery at 32 years old.
Kittle left the field on the back of a cart shortly after sustaining his injury in the second quarter. The 49ers ruled him out shortly after he left the field and announced that he’d injured his Achilles tendon. Philadelphia held a 13-7 lead at the time of Kittle’s injury midway through the second quarter.
Advertisement
The injury occurred when Kittle planted his right leg while being tackled after making a catch.
Kittle remained down on his back with his right leg in the air. Trainers tended to Kittle on the field before he eventually took a seat on the back of a cart. Kittle sat upright and waved to fans as he was driven off the field.
The 49ers finished 12-5 and made it to the playoffs despite injuries to several key players, including season-ending injuries to All-Pro defenders Nick Bosa (torn ACL) and Fred Warner (fractured ankle). Kittle missed six regular-season games with a torn hamstring, but returned to finish another strong season that earned him his seventh Pro Bowl berth.
Advertisement
Now the 49ers will play the rest of the postseason without their top weapon in the passing game. They were already shorthanded in the passing game Sunday due to a knee injury that sidelined wide receiver Ricky Pearsall before kickoff.
Leave a Reply