The San Francisco 49ers are no stranger to major injuries, but an injury to TE George Kittle on Sunday gave Kyle Shanahan yet another challenge to overcome.
Kittle was carted off after suffering a lower-leg injury on catch in the second quarter of the 49ers' wild-card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a bad sign for such an integral part of the team's offense.
Kittle dealt with a left ankle injury late in the season, but Sunday's injury appears to be unrelated.
Here's a look at the play that knocked Kittle out of the game and the latest news on his status.
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What happened to George Kittle?
Kittle suffered an Achilles injury after making his first and only catch of the day against the Eagles on Sunday. He was quickly carted back to the locker room and was seen trying to fire up his teammates as he was taken off the field.
The 49ers were quick to label Kittle's injury an Achilles issue, confirming fears that he was dealing with more than just an ankle injury. While San Francisco hasn't yet announced a formal diagnosis, a torn Achilles appears to be the fear.
George Kittle injury update
Kittle was carted off after suffering what appeared to be a right ankle injury in the second quarter of Sunday's game. The 49ers announced soon after that Kittle was out for the remainder of the game with an Achilles injury.
Replay showed the reverberation mechanism in Kittle's right leg that is extremely common with Achilles injuries, indicating he could be in for a long recovery period that stretches well beyond the playoffs.
It appears that #49ers TE George Kittle just went down with a right Achilles injury.
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) January 11, 2026
You can see the reverberation. Being carted off: pic.twitter.com/s0bsBlNg4E
Kittle suffered the injury on his first catch of the day as the 49ers, who were already without WR Ricky Pearsall on the offensive side of the ball, tried to make up a small deficit.
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Did George Kittle tear his Achilles?
The 49ers haven't officially labeled Kittle's injury a torn Achilles, but that is the expectation based on video evidence and the team's decision to quickly rule him out with what they labeled an Achilles injury.
If and when that news is confirmed, Kittle will face a long rehab process that could threaten his status for training camp and even Week 1 as he heads into his 10th NFL season.
49ers TE depth chart
| Rank | TE |
| 1 | George Kittle |
| 2 | Jake Tonges |
| 3 | Luke Farrell |
Kittle is backed up by Jake Tonges, a former undrafted free agent out of California. Tonges, now in his fourth NFL season, didn't have a single professional catch until Week 1, when he hauled in three receptions and scored his first touchdown.
Tonges largely didn't play when Kittle was healthy this season, but he raced up 293 yards and five touchdowns on 34 actions with the former All-Pro missing six games. As long as the 49ers remain alive, Tonges figures to be a regular piece of the offense.
Fifth-year TE Luke Farrell has primarily played a blocking role this season, appearing in all 17 regular season games and playing 36 percent of snaps but only hauling in four receptions. With Tonges soaking up most of Kittle's role as a pass-catcher, Farrell's role as a blocker. Figures to remain mostly unchanged.