George Kittle is enjoying the 49ers’ 2-0 start, and he’s not shy about giving credit where he thinks it belongs. The tight end said Tuesday on The Rich Eisen Show that being around players like Trent Williams, Mike Evans, and Brock Purdy makes the whole thing feel pretty special.
“I got really lucky,” Kittle said Tuesday on The Rich Eisen Show. “I get to play with Trent Williams, right?
We got him. Hall of Famer, plays like a Hall of Famer still.
Mike Evans, Hall of Famer, plays like a Hall of Famer still. And so just when you add guys like that, it’s just so much fun ’cause, I mean, every time we call a play and I know Mike has a chance of getting the ball, I’m like, ‘This is so sick.’
Brock Purdy’s throwing the ball to Mike Evans, and I’m blocking for him. What a dream come true.”
In Los Angeles, Aaron Donald made his 2026 debut in Week 2 and wasted no time making an impact, finishing with three tackles for the Rams. Sean McVay said he was blown away by what he saw after Donald came out of retirement.
“I can’t even think of the words to say the love and respect I have for who he is,” McVay said, via PFT. “He does everything the right way.
I think the cool thing is his standards - he’ll be excited about where he can improve. But pretty impressive to be off almost 1,000 days, come back and play the defensive line position, 30-plus snaps, make your impact felt tremendously, still eliciting double and triple teams because of who he is.
That’s Aaron Donald for you. Never ceases to amaze me.”
McVay said Donald appears to have kept himself in strong shape during retirement, and he believes there’s still more ahead.
“He still is taking great care of himself, the hard work pays off,” McVay said. “And I think the best is yet to come from him.”
He also said Donald’s presence lifted the entire team.
“You get goosebumps,” McVay said. “It elevated everybody, and that’s what the greats do.”
In Seattle, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Sam Darnold is moving much better after starting to improve over the past week, which has allowed him to get back on the practice field and could open the door to a return soon.
Fowler also said the Seahawks are comfortable leaning on Drew Lock for as long as necessary, and team sources are high on how he has developed. One source called him, “He’s smart, experienced, has been in the system multiple years and has the savvy and talent of a first-round pick.”
Another source added: “He can handle all the moving parts pre-snap, has good confidence, prepares like a starter, and throws a pretty deep ball.”
Fowler also reported that Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is dealing with a four-to six-week absence after re-aggravating a foot injury. The situation is complicated, and his return will depend heavily on how he responds in rehab.
The Colts want Pierce fully healthy before bringing him back, especially after he was limited in the opening games and there is concern about reinjury.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Face A Sam Darnold Decision They Wanted Soon
The Seahawks have spent the first two weeks of the season building momentum without ever really getting their quarterback situation settled. They opened with a close win over the Patriots, then backed it up with a more convincing result against the Cardinals, and in the process Drew Lock has done enough in Sam Darnolds place to keep Seattle moving while the starter works back from the glute injury that kept him out of the opener.
Now Darnold is expected to return to practice this week, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, which means the conversation the Seahawks hoped to delay is suddenly here. Lock has handled the job well enough to keep the team unbeaten, but Seattle remains committed to Darnold as its starter, so the next step is less about whether the team likes what it has seen and more about how quickly it wants to hand the offense back to the quarterback it planned to build around. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Bigger QB Decision Than Fans Expected
Sam Darnolds availability has quickly become the Seahawks most interesting storyline heading into Week 3, even with Mike Macdonald making it clear the job belongs to the starter if hes healthy enough to go. Darnold has been dealing with a glute injury suffered in Week 1, and Seattle has had to weigh the value of getting him back on the field against the reality that Drew Lock has looked steady in relief.
Macdonald said Darnold is expected to practice in some capacity before the team makes its final call, which keeps the situation in motion for now. For a Seahawks offense trying to settle in early in the season, the question is no longer just whether Darnold can suit up, but whether Seattle has a reason to keep riding the hand the backup has given it if the starter is close but not quite ready. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face A Drew Lock Decision They May Not Afford
Sam Darnolds injury absence has already reminded the Seahawks how much value there is in a dependable No. 2 quarterback, and Drew Lock has filled that role well enough to keep Seattle afloat. In limited starts, he helped the team go 2-0, giving the staff a level of comfort that is hard to find once a season starts to turn on depth and availability.
Now comes the part Seattle would rather avoid: interest from the outside. With the Giants suddenly in need after Jaxson Darts season-ending injury, Lock is a name that could come up, but the Seahawks may be wiser to treat him as more than a movable asset. A reliable backup is one of those pieces teams only miss once they no longer have it, and Seattles situation makes that lesson feel especially current. [Read more 🡒]