The San Francisco 49ers have lost one of their biggest weapons midway through a wild card playoff game. George Kittle has been carted off with a serious injury.
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The tight end suffered an Achilles injury during the second quarter of the playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He caught a pass from quarterback Brock Purdy and gained six yards. However, his calf appeared to pop as he planted his foot in the ground while safety Marcus Epps pushed him out of bounds.
Heartbreaking for one of the NFL’s best. George Kittle carted off after a non-contact injury. pic.twitter.com/XwcLAn2b2i
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2026
Kittle went down onto the turf and had to receive medical attention. He was helped onto the cart and taken from the field. The veteran tight saluted the crowd and clapped his hands before disappearing from view. The 49ers continued the drive and kicked a field goal before halftime.
The 49ers quickly ruled Kittle out. He will likely undergo more testing in the coming days to determine the extent of this Achilles injury. Meanwhile, the 49ers moved forward with Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell as the main tight ends in the lineup.
Kittle entered the game without an injury designation. However, he spent the week as a limited participant in practice due to an ankle issue.
He had previously missed a game against the Bears due to an ankle sprain, but he returned for the regular-season finale against the Seahawks. He caught four passes for 25 yards and one touchdown.
The former Iowa standout has been a member of the 49ers since the 2017 season. He has been a key contributor throughout his career while catching 595 passes for 8,008 yards and 52 touchdowns. The two-time All-Pro has delivered four seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards.
Kittle has also dealt with injuries throughout his career. This includes a knee injury in 2019, a knee injury and broken bone in his foot in 2020, a calf injury in 2021, and a hamstring injury in 2024. He also missed the end of Super Bowl 58 with a shoulder injury.
Now, it appears that Kittle could miss even more time if the Achilles injury is as serious as expected.
