The San Francisco 49ers continued their miraculous 2025 season with an improbable win over the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. An electric fourth quarter ultimately ended up being the difference between the two sides.
But what made it even more impressive on the night was the injuries that the team had to deal with. A story that has been percolating all season long for this roster became markedly worse when it seemed clear that George Kittle was joining the list with a devastating blow himself. After the game, the 49ers confirmed what his ailment truly was.
49ers Without George Kittle for the Rest of the Playoffs
With Brandon Aiyuk essentially leaving the team stranded, San Francisco has had to rely on the entire depth of its receiving corps to make its living offensively. As a result, George Kittle has played a huge role in keeping the team afloat for much of the season.
A hamstring injury early in the year caused him to stay on the injured reserve list, but he came back better than ever and played a vital role as a downfield target for both Brock Purdy and Mac Jones.
Unfortunately, that string ran out before a full half of playoff football. Midway through the second quarter, the veteran tight end tried to make a play on the ball after catching it in stride. However, he came down awkwardly as he tried to turn, and something was wrong immediately.
Prayers up for George Kittle 🙏 pic.twitter.com/BaRVd2sWwp
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 11, 2026
As he was carted off the field, the 49ers held their collective breaths for the eventual diagnosis. Unfortunately, it did not come back in a positive light. As Adam Schefter reported on X, “49ers HC Kyle Shanahan confirmed to reporters that George Kittle did in fact tear his Achilles.”
Despite the injuries haunting him throughout the season, Kittle remained one of the most productive tight ends in the entire league whenever he was on the field. As a result, he finished at number five on PFSN’s TE Impact Metric, with 628 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 games.
For a team that has relied heavily on him and Christian McCaffrey in the passing game, with Aiyuk stranded from the team and both Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings flight risks seemingly every game, the injury to the seven-time Pro Bowler could not come at a worse time for the 49ers.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
