San Francisco 49ers Rally Around George Kittle After Season-Ending Injury

"Win one for George" may never replace "Win one for the Gipper" as football's most famous rallying cry, but it might carry the San Francisco 49ers all the way to a home Super Bowl game.

Already playing without their muscle, having lost pass-rusher Nick Bosa in Week 3 and middle linebacker Fred Warner in Week 6, the Niners now must proceed without their heart and soul.

Seven-time Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle is out for the season after sustaining an Achilles injury in the first half of San Francisco's 23-19 NFC wild-card win at Philadelphia on Sunday.

"This team has carried the character of George Kittle throughout the entire year, and since I got traded here he's the heart and soul of this team and so it's a tough loss, man. When he's not playing it means a lot," running back Christian McCaffrey said after squashing the Eagles' Super Bowl repeat hopes.

Kittle was injured after catching his first pass of the game for 5 yards. During the regular season, he missed six games with hamstring and ankle injuries but still finished second on the team in catches (57), tied for second in touchdown receptions (seven) and third in receiving yards (628).

Kittle, 32, is in his ninth season with the 49ers and just became the third player in franchise history with more than 8,000 receiving yards, joining Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.

Kittle was there when San Francisco lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowls LIV and LVIII. However, he won't be in uniform if the 49ers can somehow make it home to Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8.

That quest continues in next week's NFC divisional round at top-seeded Seattle. The 49ers and Seahawks split their regular-season meetings, with Kittle catching a touchdown pass in a 17-13 victory at Seattle in Week 1.

Without No. 85 in the lineup for most of Sunday's win in Philadelphia, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said his players did what they've done all season.

"They've been resilient all year. They've overcome a lot," Shanahan said. "They believe in each other a ton. We knew we couldn't come in here and just win by having certain guys making plays. We knew we had to come in here and win as a complete team. I really believe we played as a complete team today and that's why we got it done."

Wide receivers Demarcus Robinson and Jauan Jennings contributed to the team effort. Robinson posted his first 100-yard game since 2022 and Jennings, a high school quarterback, threw a touchdown pass to McCaffrey.

Brock Purdy, who missed eight games this season with a turf toe injury, overcame two interceptions to throw the winning TD to McCaffrey late in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, Garret Wallow had a team-high 11 tackles and Eric Kendricks added 10 tackles (two for losses) and broke up Philly's final desperation pass. Wallow was claimed off waivers from Denver on Dec. 8, while Kendricks made his 49ers debut on Dec. 22.

"Having two linebackers who weren't on our team a month ago and those guys playing that whole game and playing at a high level was so impressive," coach Kyle Shanahan said of Wallow and Kendricks.

Next-men-up tight ends Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell have big cleats to fill but won't be on their own as they try to "Win one for George."

Kittle isn't going to just sit around eating Little Caesars' pizzas, after all. He'll find a way to keep his heart and soul, if not his trusty hands, in the game.

"When you lose a leader like that, you never really lose him because his presence is still in this locker room. His energy is still here," McCaffrey said. "We're praying for him, we love him, and we're going to play for him the rest of the way."