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49ers TE George Kittle requests bottle of tequila after suffering torn Achilles

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones01/12/26brianjones_93

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle requested a bottle of tequila after learning that he tore his Achilles tendon in the team’s playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Kittle requested a bottle of Patron tequila, which was sent from the owner from his suite. Russni then said the bottle that Kittle requested is now empty.

George Kittle may have requested the tequila because it has been a challenging season for him. The Pro Bowl tight end has missed five of the first six games of the year because of a hamstring injury. He was also inactive in Week 17 due to an ankle injury.

“Losing Kittle early in the game, just is obviously a depressing play for everybody when you see that, and guys stepped it up and still made plays and competed,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said, via David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. Shanahan shared more on his reaction when he learned that Kittle tore his Achilles tendon.

“It’s always different for me, just because I’m not by the bench,” he said. “I’m kind of in front of everyone. And once I heard on the headset, just going over there, it just felt horrible for Kittle.”

Christian McCaffrey reacts to George Kittle’s injury

The 49ers will have to fight through the loss of Kittle if they want to win a Super Bowl. However, they know the offense will not be the same without the star tight end on the field.

“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,” 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey said. “And so, it’s a tough loss. When he’s not playing, it means a lot. But he’s somebody that, even going through something that he had to go through, and us finding a way to finish, he’s the first guy in the locker room smiling, bumping music, happy for his teammates.

Kittle has been with the 49ers since the franchise drafted him in 2017. In his nine seasons, the 32-year-old has been selected to the Pro Bowl seven times and the All-Pro Team four times. Kittle also helped the 49ers reach the Super Bowl in 2019 and 2023.