GETTY George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers gives a thumbs-up before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on November 21, 2021.
Brutal weather and a daunting task didn’t stop the San Francisco 49ers from earning a tense 13-10 win over the Green Bay Packers.
The Divisional Round win sends the Niners to the NFC Championship for a third clash against the Los Angeles Rams, but before Sunday’s game, wife of 49ers tight end George Kittle, Claire, is sharing her experience from the trip to Lambeau Field.
If someone didn’t know who Claire was supporting in Saturday’s win, the bright red snowsuit makes it clear she was rolling with the 49ers.
Meanwhile, the gallery as a whole features Claire and others attending the game or visiting the field in Green Bay. It also appears to capture Claire Kittle embracing George both before and after his performance in Saturday’s win.
And his performance was pretty important. Kittle led the 49ers in receiving yards, catching four passes for 63 yards with all four passes converting for a first down, and his last catch opening up the game-winning drive that led to the 49ers’ game-winning field goal as time expired.
ALL the latest 49ers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on 49ers newsletter here!
Kittle Sounds Off on Jimmy G Critics
While Claire has been revealing a look at her experience in Green Bay, her husband didn’t hesitate to speak on those who criticize his teammate and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Garoppolo hasn’t thrown a touchdown in either playoff game, but that hasn’t shifted Kittle’s stance on Garoppolo.
“Jimmy G, you can’t say enough about that guy,” Kittle said during his January 22 postgame press conference. “The s*** that he takes, excuse my language, consistently, people just try to pull him down, and all he does is try to deliver. He leads this team, he has a sense of calm in the huddle, he has a sense of calm in the storm, and he allows us to play football at a high level.”
Like many of his teammates, Kittle has stressed that Garoppolo is a team-leader and vital to their offensive success, despite not wowing in the stats or making many highlight plays.
Kittle Praises Deebo Samuel
Besides praising his quarterback, Kittle also offered his thoughts on his fellow offensive star Deebo Samuel. As he had all season, Samuel played a huge role in the 49ers’ win on Saturday.
Perhaps his most important play was when the 49ers were pushing to get in field goal range late, and Deebo took a hand-off and converted a 3rd and 7 to set up the game-winning field goal from Robbie Gould.
Kittle revealed that before the play began, he was feeling very confident about the hybrid player’s chances of getting the yards the 49ers needed.
“Oh, I knew we were getting it,” Kittle said, according to NBC Sports. “They came out in nickel. I saw the backer I had to block was a safety. This is money. As long as we take care of the interior, Deebo just has to run in a straight line for a first down, and that’s exactly what he did.”
The takeaway? When Kittle is feeling confident about laying down a block, good things tend to happen for the 49ers.