“I’m Not Done Yet.” George Kittle’s Words After His Season-Ending Injury Sparked a Locker Room Revolution for the 49ers…1805

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The San Francisco 49ers walked out of Philadelphia with a win that said plenty about who they are right now.

They went on the road, beat the defending champions, and did it in a way that felt familiar for a team that has lived in narrow margins all season. Physical. Composed. Unwilling to fold when the night turned difficult.

But the win came with weight.

Early in the game, George Kittle was lost to a torn Achilles, a moment that instantly changed the texture of the night. Not just schematically, but emotionally.

Christian McCaffrey on Kittle’s Injury

Speaking after the 49ers’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles, McCaffrey spoke plainly about what Kittle’s injury meant.

“This team has carried the character of George Kittle throughout the entire year,” McCaffrey said. “Since I got here, he’s the heart and soul of this team. It’s a tough loss.”

McCaffrey did not try to reframe the moment or look past it. He acknowledged the loss directly, both in football terms and in what it meant inside the locker room.

Kittle’s absence mattered.

And the way the 49ers carried it mattered just as much.

Why the Context Shapes the Injury Conversation

Head coach Kyle Shanahan later confirmed the severity of Kittle’s injury, ending his season. That reality matters.

But so does how the 49ers responded to it.

This is a team that did not retreat after losing one of its leaders. It leaned into what he represents. Physicality. Confidence. Belief.

McCaffrey’s words reflect that mindset. The 49ers are not moving forward in spite of the injuries. They are moving forward with him still very much part of who they are.

As they have done, all season. 

Final Word for the 49ers

The 49ers advanced on the road in one of the league’s most demanding environments. They did so while absorbing a loss that could have tilted the night in the opposite direction.

Christian McCaffrey did not soften that reality. He acknowledged it. And George Kittle, even sidelined, continued to set the tone for the 49ers anyway.

The win sends San Francisco on. A rematch with Seattle awaits, for the third time this season.

The winner will move onto the NFC Championship Game. 

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The San Francisco 49ers overcame a host of injuries to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19 on the road in the wild-card round at Lincoln Financial Field. Unfortunately, the game added to their injury woes, as George Kittle suffered a torn Achilles tendon.

FOX Sports cameras showed Kittle being taken off the field on a cart. ESPN’s play-by-play showed that he was hurt on a short completion from Brock Purdy early in the second quarter, with the Eagles leading 13-7 at the time.

Even without their star tight end, the 49ers rallied to pull out the win. After the victory, Niners’ Kyle Juszczyk revealed the message that Kittle sent them during halftime to motivate the team to defeat the Eagles.

“Losing George is different,” Juszczyk told reporters postgame (h/t KNBR). “That’s the heart and soul of our team. He brings so much energy, and [he is such] an incredible player. So that definitely hurts a lot. But even when he was down, he was still positive.

“I came in at halftime, and he was smiling, and he said, I’m not dead yet, man. I’ll be back. Go win it. That meant a lot. Guys just continued to step up and find ways, even we lose our best players. And we did enough to get the win.”

Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald Comments on George Kittle Injury

Ahead of the divisional round matchup between the 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks, head coach Mike Macdonald spoke with the NFL on NBC, sharing his thoughts on the devastating Kittle injury.

“I know they’re a division rival and all that, but that was a heck of a win,” Macdonald told NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor on FaceTime. “I mean, that was a really gutsy performance. Hate to see it happen to George Kittle. He’s such a great player [and a] great competitor.

“We got a ton of respect for him, and [it] just really makes you sick that that happened to him. But to come back and rally and make those plays late as they did, that was a really impressive win.”

Moreover, 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings, who threw a touchdown pass on a trick play, spoke about the team’s mental toughness in overcoming the Kittle injury.

“I think it just shows the resilience of this team all year,” Jennings told NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “That’s what we’ve been dealing with, injuries, next man up. And this team, I think, we just live by that.”

Richard Sherman Doesn’t Hold Back on 49ers

Even on the road and without Kittle, the 49ers had every reason to struggle against the reigning Super Bowl champions. Instead, they battled through and proved their resilience, coming away with the win.

Following San Francisco’s victory over the Eagles, former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman shared his candid take on the team’s performance, noting that Philadelphia had all its starters on the field.

“Eagles played with almost all of their day 1 starters available,” Sherman wrote on X on Jan. 11. “The 49ers came in without so many of their starters, and they just continue to find a way. Great performance by the 49ers’ defense! Eric Kendricks’ impact was felt all game, but never more than that last play! Veterans feel all game long. Sound tackling and poise!”