George Kittle has a lot on his plate right now. The 49ers tight end is grinding through rehab after tearing his Achilles in January, a brutal injury that cut short what was shaping up to be another monster season. He caught 57 balls for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in just 11 games, and his 138.4 passer rating when targeted was the best in the league among tight ends.
But last week, Kittle stopped to do something that had nothing to do with his own recovery. He showed up for Trent Taylor.
Taylor, the veteran wide receiver who spent seven seasons in the NFL — five of them with the 49ers — announced his retirement on social media. And he made sure Kittle was part of the moment. The two have been tight since Taylor was a fifth-round pick back in 2017, long before either of them became household names in San Francisco.
It’s the kind of gesture that doesn’t make the highlight reel but says a lot about the guy. Kittle has always been the loudest, funniest presence in the locker room, but underneath the yo-yo celebrations and the mic’d-up moments, he’s a teammate’s teammate. Taylor’s post showed them together, and the caption made it clear: this was a shared milestone.
Still one of the best, even while hurt
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released his annual position rankings recently, and Kittle still landed near the top despite the injury. Fowler noted that it’s not age slowing Kittle down — he turned 32 in October — but the Achilles. League execs told him Kittle’s 82.6% catch rate and that ridiculous passer rating prove he’s still elite when healthy.
The big question is when he’ll be back. Kittle is pushing for Week 1, but Achilles tears are unpredictable. Two decades ago, that injury basically ended careers. Now guys come back faster, but it’s still a long, miserable rehab. The 49ers are going to be careful with him. They have to be.
Kittle still can’t believe Mike Evans is a 49er
Speaking of weapons, San Francisco completely retooled its receiving corps this offseason. The biggest addition? Mike Evans. The future Hall of Famer signed with the Niners after 11 legendary seasons in Tampa Bay, and Kittle admitted during mandatory workouts that he still pinches himself seeing Evans in a red and gold jersey.
Kittle said Evans is the first true gold-jacket receiver he’s played with since Emmanuel Sanders showed up in 2019 and helped drag the team to a Super Bowl. Evans has been turning heads at OTAs with his route running and professionalism. For a receiving room that’s been a mix of young talent and journeymen, having a guy like Evans sets a completely different tone.
The 49ers are all-in on a Super Bowl run. They’ve got a loaded roster, a healthy Brock Purdy, and now a receiving corps that might actually be scary. If Kittle gets back to form by December, this offense could look a lot like the one that nearly won it all a few years ago.
Just with a lot more greybeards and a lot less mystery.
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