The San Francisco 49ers needed a reliable target on Sunday night after Deebo Samuel left the game with a rib injury in the second half. The offense entered the night already without Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. There was an obvious option on National Tight End’s Day.
George Kittle caught six of his seven targets for 128 yards, including a 43-yard gain and a touchdown. A third of Brock Purdy’s completions went to Kittle. The Niners needed every one of those receptions and yards to outlast CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked how important it was for Purdy to have a reliable threat he’s comfortable throwing to, given the multiple injuries at wide receiver. Shanahan said, “Kittle’s the man, especially on his holiday. He came back in the second half and played as good as you can.” Shanahan joked that Kittle plays better on National Tight End’s Day. It certainly feels like it.
Kittle’s big night put him in an exclusive Niners club. He now has 500 receptions, which puts Kittle in the same company as Dwight Clark (506), Roger Craig (508), Terrell Owens (592), and Jerry Rice (1,281) as the only other 49ers to accomplish that feat in franchise history.
Kittle is a week or two away from surpassing Clark in receptions. Against the Cowboys, he overtook Clark and Gene Washington for the third-most receiving yards in franchise history at 6,777. Kittle now only trails Owens and Rice.
