The San Francisco 49ers relied on TE George Kittle in a big way, and his late TD catch was more than just a toss and catch.
The Niners welcomed back RB Christian McCaffrey with a win that propels the team to 5-4. And while McCaffrey certainly contributed, the play of the game may have to be Kittle’s TD catch mid-way through the 4th quarter.
After the game, Kittle broke down the moment on the FOX broadcast and revealed that he was getting trash-talked right before his score.
“Well, my only role in that play is to get covered by the safety,” Kittle explained. “So Christian [McCaffrey] can score. He doesn’t score. So I’m sitting in the back and whoever’s guarding me is kind of talking crap in my ear saying I’m not going to score. I see Brock [Purdy] scramble and I go, ‘Oh, that’s a dime.’ Put it up only where I could get it. What a play by Brock.”
You can see a clip of the TD in this X post.
Purdy held the ball for about 7-8 seconds as the play broke down, forcing him to dart to his right and then scramble back to his left. Once he spotted Kittle in the back corner, he threw a perfectly weighted ball that put San Francisco up 20-17.
Kittle Continues to Be Purdy’s Endzone Favorite
Coming into Week 10, Kittle lead the 49ers’ weapons in touchdowns with 6 scores this year. No other player on San Francisco’s roster had scored more than 3 TDs. On Sunday, he scored for the 7th time in his past 7 games.
With his impressive 6’4″, 250-pound frame, Kittle has always been a difficult player to guard at the goal line. But he has been Purdy’s fail-safe this year, and it’s shaping up to be a huge season for the 31-year-old TE.
Kittle made three catches for 57 yards in Tampa, bringing his receiving yards total to 560 yards. As things stand, Kittle is on pace for a 1050-yard season that will finish with 80 catches and 13 touchdowns.
While the reception and receiving yards totals wouldn’t be career highs, 13 TDs would be. The 49ers TE has only hit the double-digit mark for touchdowns once in his career, back in 2022 when he finished with 11 scores.
49ers TE Backs Jake Moody After Rough Return
While San Francisco K Jake Moody knocked down a 43-yard try to win the game for the 49ers, it was a rough day overall. Moody missed three field goals in the game, going 3 for 6.
During the broadcast interview, Kittle revealed what he had to say to Moody for his game-winner. It’s clear that the 5-time Pro Bowler never lost hope in the Niners kicker.
“I just kept telling Jake, ‘Hey man, you got a game-winner right in front of you. Just keep kicking it.’ He [missed three field goals,] but he made the last one and that’s all that matters. So ended on a high note, it’s going to be great for him and his confidence. We’re all confident in him.”
The Week 10 win was Moody’s first game back after spending several weeks on the injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain.
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49ers’ George Kittle Reveals Trash Talk Just Before Huge TD Catch