Tight End · San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle
No. 85 · 10th season
Kittle's still running 16 mph and he has thoughts about Aiyuk
George Kittle tore his Achilles in January's playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. That is not a small thing — it is the kind of injury that ends careers or reroutes them. Kittle is targeting a Week 1 return, and he says he is already hitting 16 miles per hour on the track. The body is doing its part.
But the more revealing news is what Kittle said about his teammate Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk, a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, has been pushing to leave — and he made it public when he posted a video of himself shouting support for a rival franchise. Kittle's response, in short: whatever team picks up Aiyuk, have fun with that. He noted Aiyuk looks healthy, then let the air out of the room with the implication that any interested team should know what it is getting into.
That is not nothing. Kittle is one of the most respected players in that locker room, and when someone in that position signals that a teammate comes with baggage, other teams are listening. The 49ers have also made their position clear on the situation.
What happens next with Aiyuk is unresolved. What is clear is that Kittle has already moved on mentally — back on the field, running fast, and not bending over backward to smooth things over.
“"But you guys have fun with that, I guess . . . You have fun with all that comes with it."”
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