While the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round, they also lost tight end George Kittle for the rest of the season (and probably most of next year) due to a torn Achilles.
However, the one silver lining in this is that the 49ers have had to play without Kittle frequently this year, as the seven-time Pro Bowler missed six regular-season games in 2025.
San Francisco is as prepared as they can be for an injury to such an important player, and they’ll have to rely on Jake Tonges to step up again, something he’s done this year when filling in for Kittle.
In games that Kittle either missed or left early, Tonges caught 32 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Expanded over a full season, he would have 78 receptions for 689 yards and seven touchdowns.
Tonges might not have the talent that Kittle has, but he’s a suitable backup, and he’s proven he can succeed in Kyle Shanahan’s offense already, even finding the end zone against the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco’s divisional round opponent, back in Week 1.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: George Kittle’s replacement has actually been impressive this year
Reporting by Mike Masala, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
