The San Francisco 49ers entered their wild-card matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles already dealing with injuries, but the situation worsened when star tight end George Kittle was carted off the field during the first half. With Sunday’s game still underway in Philadelphia, the 49ers confirmed the worst: Kittle tore his ACL, a devastating injury that will likely sideline him for months.
Kittle suffered the injury with just under six minutes remaining in the second quarter. After being tackled out of bounds on a reception, he immediately clutched the lower part of his leg. Medical staff quickly arrived with a cart to transport him off the field for further evaluation.
Kittle has been an integral part of San Francisco’s offense all season, accumulating 528 yards and seven touchdowns on 57 receptions. At the time of the injury, he had one catch for six yards, with quarterback Brock Purdy targeting him twice in the game.
Unfortunately, Kittle’s ACL injury is part of a recent trend of similar injuries across the league. Notable players such as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons have also suffered ACL tears in the past month.
Despite the blow to their roster, the 49ers managed to secure a 23-19 victory over the Eagles, advancing to the next round of the playoffs. Their next challenge will be a tough matchup against the No. 1 seed Seattle Seahawks.
Seattle defeated San Francisco 13-3 in their final regular-season game, in which Kittle recorded five receptions for 29 yards. However, he delivered several standout performances throughout the season, including a 115-yard game with a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts and an 84-yard game with a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams.
In the recent win against Philadelphia, wide receiver DeMarcus Robinson contributed 111 yards and a touchdown, while running back Christian McCaffrey had a huge impact with 114 total yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Looking ahead to the showdown with Seattle, the 49ers will need to rely on other offensive weapons, including tight end Jake Tonges. Meanwhile, Brock Purdy has shown strong performances in recent games, giving the team hope for a competitive battle.
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Read more: [Eagles Make Final Lane Johnson Decision Before 49ers Wild Card Game](#)
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/nfl/49ers-confirm-the-worst-on-george-kittle-after-non-contact-injury-11342924
