George Kittle’s biggest supporter won’t mince words when it’s time for him to call it a career.
During a recent appearance on the “Ross Tucker Podcast,” the star 49ers tight end was asked if the devastating Achilles injury he sustained earlier in the postseason fueled potential retirement thoughts.
“No, not at all, I love football,” said Kittle, 32, who went down during the Niners’ wild-card win over the Eagles in January.
“I love football, and my body will tell me when I can’t play anymore. Or my wife will tell me I look like shit, one or the other.” 🤣🤣🤣
@gkittle46 on if he considered retirement after his achilles tear: pic.twitter.com/92Zeyrpm8N— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) February 24, 2026
The nine-year veteran, whose recovery is ongoing, then cheekily explained how his wife, Claire, will give it to him straight when life after football nears.
“My body will tell me when I can’t play anymore, or my wife will tell me I look like s–t, one or the other. I’ll trust her word on that cause she likes when I play football, but I love it too much and I got a lot of miles left in the tank at a high level,” Kittle said.
Kittle, who missed time early in 2025 due to a hamstring injury, tallied 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns across 11 regular-season appearances.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, Kittle has spent his entire NFL career with the 49ers after being drafted in the fifth round out of Iowa in 2017.
He is entering the second year of a four-year, $76.4 million contract extension.
The 49ers felt Kittle’s absence in the Divisional Round, when the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks dominated their NFC West rivals, 41-6.
Claire, a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model who has been married to Kittle since 2019, reflected on her husband’s heartbreaking conclusion to the 2025 season in an emotional Instagram post.
“Disbelief and stillness were all I felt as I yelled, get up, get up, over and over again. He always gets up. He’s George — he can do all things. He just does it. It hurts. There’s no preparing for it,” Claire penned in January.
“I love this man with everything I have in me. He is a unicorn in this world, and he will be back stronger and better than ever before.”
Kittle is hopeful for an early return to the field, stating in January it could be “well before November,” according to ESPN.
The 49ers will play internationally in 2026 when they face the Rams in the league’s first regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia.
