George Kittle played through a rough one against Seattle, and the full picture was tougher than the stat line suggested.
The 49ers tight end said he was dealing with an illness before the Week 5 divisional matchup and had lost about 10 pounds by the time he took the field. Even after suiting up, he said he still felt far from himself during the game.
When asked about his condition, Kittle didn’t sugarcoat it: "Terrible, like a shell of myself. Horrible, not a lot of juice, but when you have enough caffeine in you, you can definitely play football."
He added that he had been sick for a stretch before finally starting to turn the corner. The extra time between games helped, since San Francisco played on Monday night instead of Thursday.
"I don't know, I was sick for like a while, and I feel like I just got over it today, so it's been a grind, but we're past it," Kittle said.
Kittle also said he was close to getting back to his normal weight after the bout with the illness.
"Oh, we're close to it, so enough," Kittle said. "But yeah, that was a grinder. But like I said, we made it through it."
He also made sure to give credit to the team’s medical staff for helping him get on the field.
"Shout out to the training room, they gave me all the things I needed to keep me on a football field," Kittle added.
Even while battling through the illness, Kittle was active in San Francisco’s 32-29 win over the Seahawks. He finished with five catches for 24 yards as the 49ers improved to 5-0.
In Other News...
NFL Just Confirmed Seahawks Fans Had Every Right To Be Furious
Late in Seattles matchup with San Francisco, Jaxon Smith-Njigba took a hit from 49ers safety Malik Mustapha that never drew a flag on the field, even though it was later deemed a violation for hitting a defenseless player. The lack of a penalty at the time left Seahawks fans with plenty to gripe about, especially in a game where every late snap carried extra weight.
The NFLs review backed up that frustration, fining Mustapha $6,998 for the play and effectively confirming the missed call. No other players from the game were fined, but for Seattle supporters, the bigger point is hard to miss: the league looked at the same hit and came to the conclusion many in the building already had. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Picture Could Get More Interesting Than Fans Realize
Week 6 is bringing a little more uncertainty to the running back landscape than usual, and it is the kind of wrinkle Seahawks fans can keep an eye on even if the names involved are elsewhere. Quinshon Judkins, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, TreVeyon Henderson, Alvin Kamara and Rico Dowdle are all listed as questionable, with practice participation varying from player to player as teams sort through injuries and workload concerns heading into the weekend.
Jadarian Price adds another layer to the picture, even though he is still on injured reserve for now. His coach said a return could come as early as Week 8, which means the backfield conversation is only getting started in a league where availability can change the depth chart fast. For a Seattle team always watching the market and the ripple effects around it, these are the kinds of updates that can quietly shape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Have A Pass Protection Problem Fans Cant Ignore
Through six games, the Seahawks offensive line has already become one of the clearest pressure points on the roster, and the latest reminder came in a rough afternoon against Denver. Pro Football Focus charted 26 pressures allowed on quarterback Sam Darnold, who was under duress 27 times overall, a number that underscored just how often the pocket collapsed before plays could fully develop.
It was not just one spot breaking down, either. Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Jalen Sundell, Grey Zabel, Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens all had their share of pressures allowed, while George Holani has also had trouble in pass protection. For a team trying to build any kind of offensive rhythm, the issue is no longer isolated enough to shrug off, and it is starting to shape every conversation about how the offense can function going forward. [Read more 🡒]