Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
49ers TE George Kittle played through the second half of the season with a cracked rib
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
's 1,377 receiving yards off of 88 catches in 2018 set a single-season record for NFL tight ends. He was selected to his first Pro Bowl and was the only San Francisco 49ers player to be named an All-Pro (second team) for his efforts this past season.
Oh, and he accomplished all of that while dealing with a cracked rib for much of the season.
If you noticed that Kittle looked a little heavier toward the end of the season compared to the beginning, it was because he played through the injury with the help of large padded rib protectors, according to this little tidbit from Nick Wagoner of ESPN on December 31.
As Wagoner points out, the injury occurred during the 49ers' Week 9 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Levi's Stadium.
Kittle did appear on team issued injury reports during the following week but was listed with a chest injury. He did not appear on an injury report for the remainder of the season nor did he miss any further practice time.
Kittle dealt with several injuries during his rookie campaign in 2017, including hamstring, calf, hip, chest, back, elbow, and ankle injuries. The high-ankle injury was his most restricting during the season because it prevented him from properly planting his foot.
"He's been able to stay healthier this year which is a complete credit to him, how he's taken care of his body," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Kittle on December 21. "It's allowed him to play fully to his ability. It was cool that everyone could see the results. He's not going to be the same next year. He's going to be better or worse so I hope he still continues to keep working."
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
Draft Watch: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley visiting 49ers on Wednesday
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
7-round mock draft from The Athletic sees 49ers fortifying defense early
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
