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San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle is no stranger to taking on defenders in the middle of the field, but he found himself battling a different beast early Wednesday night.
Kittle, 32, took to social media to retell his story against a giant spider.
“At 4am this morning, as I lay in a deep slumber, I was called into action by my wife who had discovered a spider the size of a half dollar in the bathroom. Without hesitation I got up to fight the intruder,” Kittle wrote to X.
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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle plays against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on January 5, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Kittle, rehabbing after tearing his right Achilles tendon in the playoffs, used his gear to eliminate the threat.
“Claire gave me the incline board I’ve been using for rehab and I knew right away the spider didn’t stand a chance. It only took 1 try to knock my opponent down. I received hugs and kisses for my bravery and went back to sleep with confidence. Have a day guys,” Kittle wrote with a spider emoji.
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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and his wife Claire Kittle walk down the side of the field during the Golden State Valkyries game against the Indiana Fever at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California on August 31, 2025. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Kittle can only hope that his successful and courageous takedown of the massive spider is how his rehab goes. The former Iowa star suffered the injury during the 49ers’ 23-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said last month that “there’s a chance” Kittle could play Week 1 during an appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show.”
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George Kittle attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)
If Kittle plays Week 1, it would be a huge boost to the 49ers’ offense. The seven-time Pro Bowler has been dynamic in his nine-year career.
Last season, in 11 games, Kittle caught 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns. In his career, the two-time All-Pro has caught 595 passes for 8,008 yards and 52 touchdowns.
