San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle ended last season on a cart after he tore his Achilles in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles. His status is still in the air for Week 1 of next season, which will be in Melbourne, Australia against the Los Angeles Rams.
But he may have just given everyone a fun hint on his status.
Kittle took to social media to recount a story of his heroism as he saved his wife Claire from a spider. He recounted it in typical Kittle fashion:
At 4 am this morning, as I laid in a deep slumber, I was called to action by my wife who had discovered a spider the size of a half dollar in the bathroom. Without hesitation I arose to combat the intruder. Claire handed me the slant board I’ve been using for rehab, and I…
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) May 13, 2026
“At 4 am this morning, as I laid in a deep slumber, I was called to action by my wife who had discovered a spider the size of a half dollar in the bathroom. Without hesitation I arose to combat the intruder. Claire handed me the slant board I’ve been using for rehab, and I immediately knew the spider had no chance. It took but 1 attempt to strike down my opponent. I received hugs and kisses for my bravery and fell back asleep with confidence. Have a day gentlemen. 🕷️”
As ever, Kittle is as brave as they come.
It’s Kittle being as funny as he usually is, but could he possibly be trying to tell us he thinks he’s going to be ready for the game in Australia? The country is known for its big, scary, and venomous spiders, so perhaps this is a subtle hint from Kittle.
He even vanquished the spider with a board that he’s been using to rehabilitate his leg, so maybe the spider is a metaphor for the health of his Achilles and how he has overcome his injury.
Or… maybe he just killed a spider and decided to share that fact on social media.
Either way, it’s pretty funny, and one of the biggest questions for the 49ers these next few months will be regarding Kittle’s health. An Achilles tear is a major issue and can sometimes take a year for a player to return, so it is fortunate Kittle even has a chance to start the regular season.
The Niners didn’t get themselves any insurance at tight end either in free agency or the NFL Draft. They did make sure to bring back Jake Tonges, who did a nice job of filling in last season, and they did sign undrafted free agent Khalil Dinkins out of Penn State.
Still, if the Niners are without Kittle for the first few weeks of the season, they may just be skirting by at the position. No one player would completely make up for Kittle, but maybe a veteran option on a one-year deal would be a wise investment. Zach Ertz is still available, even though he, too, is rehabbing from a major injury as he tore his ACL last season.
The Niners may just feel good about Kittle’s rehab, so maybe they feel it would be a waste to sign a guy if he may only get real playing time for a game or two.
If Kittle is in good enough shape to take down a scary spider, then he might just be in good enough shape to take on the Rams in Australia.
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