Overview
- Head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the 23-19 Wild Card win in Philadelphia that George Kittle tore his right Achilles.
- Kittle was carted off in the second quarter after a 6-yard catch and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
- The 49ers placed Kittle on injured reserve and added tight end depth, with Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell stepping into larger roles.
- Medical projections for Achilles ruptures point to a lengthy rehab that could jeopardize Kittle’s availability early next season.
- Teammates called Kittle the team’s emotional core, and the tight end posted, “Football sucks sometimes. But I love it,” after owner Jed York visited him in the locker room.