© Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The man does not seem to have bad days. Certainly not on Christmas Eve, and certainly not when he’s returning from a seven-week-long absence. George Kittle was just as we remembered him: sarcastic, energetic and as one of his favorite players, Marshawn Lynch said, probably ready to “run through somebody face.”
With two games left and a losing season guaranteed, the obvious question is should Kittle return at all? What about the risk of re-injury? According to Kyle Shanahan, there is no risk of re-injury, with the cuboid bone in his foot having healed. With Kittle healthy and performing well in practice, Shanahan said he is probably the healthiest player on the team, and would not be able to look his players in the eye if he prevented Kittle from playin.
Kittle opted for brevity when recalling their conversation.
“He asked me if I wanted to play and I said, ‘Hell yes.’ He said, ‘Sounds good.’ That was our conversation,” Kittle said.
General manager John Lynch said on KNBR Thursday morning that Kittle was actually cleared to play last week, but the team wanted to be exceedingly cautious with him. Kittle said he was told, “you’re not playing this week.”
He did, however, participate in practice, running reps with the scout team, leading Kittle, as Lynch said, to refer to himself as the scout team MVP. Kittle joked it was one of the defining accomplishments of his career.
“I got in about 15 scout reps last week, but I scored a touchdown on Richard Sherman last week in a walkthrough practice,” Kittle said. “I felt really good about that one. I didn’t get scout team player of the week. I didn’t get a jersey, so I’m pretty sad about that, but I’d say it’s top-five in anything I’ve done athletically in my entire life. It’s still, [tight end] Daniel Helm has like 12 practice squad player of the weeks jerseys. I don’t have one. So I guess it’s still a goal for me. Hopefully I can accomplish that by the end of my career.”
He also joked he’ll be using the oxygen mask.
On a grander scale, Kittle expressed optimism for 2021, when the 49ers get a certain defensive end back.
“When Nick Bosa is healthy, we’re gonna be just fine,” Kittle said.
He was asked by one reporter if he recognized when Bosa went down that it was a “body blow” and that it would change the complexion of the season.
“Come on, do I have to actually answer that? It’s Nick Bosa,” Kittle said. “He’s our second overall pick, one of the best players in the NFL. Yes, it affected our team. You do your best to replace guys, you have guys step up but, like, he’s a superstar… Yeah it’s a body blow… Nick Bosa is still the second-best player in the NFL in my opinion.”
But that’s then.
This is now. Kittle said no one in his own circle encouraged him to sit out the rest of the season. Aside from him being the purest of football dudes, who would conceivably try to play through any injury, there is some motivation remaining, even in a lost season.
“I know that if we beat the Cardinals it kind of puts a little pressure on them to make the playoffs,” Kittle said. “So, let’s have some fun while we’re at it, and make someone else’s life a little bit more difficult.”
The Cardinals, at 8-6, are one game up on the 7-7 Chicago Bears. They will clinch a spot with a win and a Bears loss to the… 1-13 Jacksonville Jaguars. The Cardinals play the 9-5 Los Angeles Rams next week and the Bears finish with the 11-4 Green Bay Packers.
Kittle concluded his press conference by calling out some voting injustices. You know, of the Pro Bowl variety.
Neither Robert Tonyan of the Green Bay Packers, who is one of Kittle’s close friends and offseason workout partners, who has 10 touchdowns and 551 receiving yards this year, nor former 49ers defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who has 7.5 sacks, 33 tackles and two forced fumbles this season, were voted to the Pro Bowl.
Kittle was understandably displeased, especially given Tonyan lost out to Evan Engram, who has 572 receiving yards and one touchdown, and Buckner lost out to Calais Campbell, who has 4.0 sacks, 17 tackles, zero forced fumbles and played in three less games than the full 13 Buckner has appeared in.
“The fact that Robert Tonyan, who has 10 touchdowns and 551 yards doesn’t get to make it to the Pro Bowl on the best team in the NFC, is completely outrageous and I hope they figure out a way to fix that, whether it’s just adding another tight end or something,” Kittle said. “That’s outrageous. Just super fired up about that.”
And also for my guy DeFo, Buckner. I don’t know what happened over there, but that’s absolutely outrageous as well and they should figure out a way to fix that because if you just compare the stats to the people that he didn’t get in against, I think DeFo’s been stumped what three times now? He should be a four-time Pro Bowler and I’m just flabbergasted at that. I’ve been waiting use that word actually.
I could go on a pretty big rant and I could use some swear words but the fact that those two guys couldn’t get in it is absolutely insane and whoever’s in charge of that should probably fix it.”
In other news, as Kittle returns, more than a handful of 49ers players will be out. Here’s the game status report for the rest of the team:
OUT:
- RB Raheem Mostert (ankle) – out for the year
- QB Nick Mullens (right elbow) – out for the year, probably needs Tommy John surgery
- WR Deebo Samuel (hamstring) – out for the year
- CB Richard Sherman (calf) – Shanahan said he was surprised he returned at all
- S Jimmie Ward (concussion)
DOUBTFUL:
- DE Dion Jordan (knee)
QUESTIONABLE:
- C Hroniss Grasu (knee)
- DT Javon Kinlaw (knee)
- S Tarvarius Moore (knee)
- CB Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring)