The San Francisco 49ers are slowly getting their offensive weapons back from injury. They are shorthanded, but they have clawed and fought their way to a 4-2 record. George Kittle is back, and Jauan Jennings stayed healthy after returning in Week 6. Kittle has been out since Week 1 and is finally back in action. But he’s been very quiet in his return to play.
George Kittle’s Quiet Day
Kittle has been active in the rushing attack, dishing out good blocks and sealing holes for Christian McCaffrey and the other rushers.
On the receiving end, he has been completely absent with no catches. It wasn’t expected of Kittle to be back in top form right away, but no catches weren’t expected either.
Man this base block by Kittle on the backside here is unbelievable
He changed their whole run game immediately tonight. They have been so much better after struggling all year without him. pic.twitter.com/W8JPQO7yJU
— Max Toscano (@maxtoscano1) October 20, 2025
The 49ers offense is doing enough to win through three quarters, though, as they maintain a three-point lead. The problem is that they are letting the Falcons hang around and leaving the door open for Atlanta to snag a win. Getting Kittle more involved could be a big step toward sealing the victory.
The problem is that Kittle doesn’t seem to be at his best. The sideline reporter spoke about how Kittle had admitted that he’s out of shape and is working to get into his best shape. Unfortunately, the 49ers are shorthanded and need their weapons back as soon as possible so Kittle will be playing his way back to his best shape.
The 49ers are down Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, and Brandon Aiyuk on the offensive side alone. In fairness, Mac Jones has been great filling in for Purdy and has three of their four wins on the year. Pearsall has been battling to play the last few weeks, but hasn’t been able to suit up, and Aiyuk is coming off a season-ending injury in 2024 as fans await his debut in 2025.
The Rams moved to 5-2 in Week 7. The Seahawks have the opportunity to do the same. This emphasizes the importance of pulling out this victory over the Falcons, as they would find themselves falling behind in the NFC West. The 49ers are absolutely depleted on both sides of the ball, and cranking out wins while shorthanded is essential to keeping the season afloat.
The game is approaching crunch time, and the 49ers need to deliver. Kittle will be doing his best to make an impact despite being out of shape, but whether Kittle is a pivotal piece or not, San Francisco won’t care as long as they win.
