Torn core. Detached adductor. Ruptured Achilles. George Kittle has spent his career treating pain as nothing more than a hurdle. “I’m in multiple car accidents every Sunday,” he has said of the brutal reality of playing in the NFL. Last week, though, the threat to his availability wasn’t an injury.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Reports of Kittle battling some form of illness made the rounds last week. The tight end played through it in Week 5, but according to the latest update, his struggles may now become the team’s struggles. And that could be what derails the 49ers’ perfect record.
“There’s a bug going around the #49ers locker room – George Kittle had it in Seattle and now Colton McKivitz has it and likely Carver Willis who was missing from practice on Thursday,” NBC’s 49ers beat writer Jennifer Lee Chan wrote on X. “Might have started when Eddy Piñeiro was ill a few weeks back.”
Kittle’s illness wasn’t a secret. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco both reported on X that Kittle was “expected to play” in the Week 5 game against the Seattle Seahawks despite being sick.
The tight end didn’t hide his troubles either. He opened up about it on the Wife’d Up, Mic’d Up podcast.
“I was in the bathroom when we got that touchdown right before the half,” Kittle said. “Right before we came back out [after halftime], I go to the bathroom. As I stand up, I projectile vomit. I’m standing with my pants around my ankles, I’m like, ‘You’ve got to be f—ing kidding me.'”
Kittle played through the sickness and recorded five catches for 24 yards, helping the 49ers secure a 32-29 win over the Seahawks. Now, though, it looks like sitting out a week might have been the smarter call.
On Thursday, Colton McKivitz was limited in practice due to illness, and Chan suggested the tackle could still be sick for Week 6. Looking at the bigger picture, that’s a problem.
Several big names had already missed Thursday’s practice:
- DE Nick Bosa (calf)
- WR Mike Evans (ribs, Achilles)
- WR Deebo Samuel (hamstring)
- S Marques Sigle (ankle)
- DT James Thompson Jr. (ankle)
- LB Garret Wallow (hamstring)
An illness spreading on top of that injury list could put the team’s perfect start in jeopardy. Soon after Chan shared the update, fans flooded the comments with concerns about the players’ health.
“Kittle was projectile vomiting out of both ends in the locker room and he hadn’t eaten anything. How did he manage to play,” one fan wrote. “They need to stop sharing water bottles,” another added.
Players don’t usually share bottles in practice or games, but that’s hard to control off the field. Combine that with what’s happening in San Francisco right now, and the fan’s comment starts to make sense.
Some fans suggested it might be the flu. Flu season arrived early in the Bay Area this year, and San Francisco has already recorded one flu-related death, prompting health officials to urge residents to get vaccinated right away.
“Flu,” one fan guessed. “No joke this year. My family is on week 2 of it. So. Was in the hospital for a week.” “The whole Bay Area has something going around,” another fan added.
Other fans were more worried about quarterback Brock Purdy. He has led the Niners to a 5-0 start, completing 98 passes for 1,196 yards and 13 touchdowns, with only two interceptions and three sacks. If he goes down with the illness too, the Niners could be in real trouble.
“Somebody put a shield on Brock Purdy. OMFG. Burn the whole place and reallocate,” another fan commented.
As the 49ers work to sanitize their facility and stop the bug in its tracks, all eyes will be on the final injury report heading into Week 6 on October 19.