GEORGE. KITTLE. pic.twitter.com/Oc0aoKoTm0
— KNBR (@KNBR) December 8, 2019
George Kittle is not like most folks. As much as calling football players “warriors” is a cliche, it’s not hard to imagine Kittle thriving in the trenches of Ancient Greece as a Spartan. He might be the best player in the National Football League, and he showed both his quality and absurd, almost lunatic-like relentlessness in a game-sealing play on Sunday.
On 4th-and-2, with the 49ers not just needing a first down, but about 30 yards to get in Robbie Gould’s field goal range. Not only did Kittle (6 receptions, 67 yards, 1 TD) convert, but he rumbled downfield with the reckless abandon of a human wrecking ball. With his facemask being held, Kittle kept churning. In a moment, the 49ers went from being out of control of their own destiny to a moment from pulling off the defining victory of the NFL season.
Facemasks, headlocks… the Saints really tried everything to bring George Kittle down
Beast. pic.twitter.com/6SCfVCL71R
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) December 8, 2019
It set the 49ers up for what should have been a simple chip shot, even for Gould’s struggles (was 14-of-18 below 40 yards). While Gould was the “hero,” it was really Mitch Wishnowsky, who was snapped an embarrassingly-poor ball from long snapper Kyle Nelson. Wishnowsky got it down, somehow, in time, and the 49ers left New Orleans with their NFC West Division chances still intact and a 48-46 win.
Game pic.twitter.com/uIKASusT47
— KNBR (@KNBR) December 8, 2019
