Former San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl safety Donte Whitner did not mince words when discussing the offseason activities of All-Pro tight end George Kittle. Speaking on the latest episode of “The Grit Code Podcast,” Whitner expressed deep concern and frustration over Kittle participating in on-field football drills before being medically cleared by the team.
The controversy stems from offseason video footage showing Kittle running routes and conducting drills at Tight End University, an annual summit Kittle co-founded. While fans and media analysts celebrated the visual of the star tight end back on the field, Whitner—viewing the footage through a different lens—issued a stark warning.
“When I’m watching the videos with my athlete eyes, he’s limping out there,” Whitner said. “He doesn’t really look good to me. If you look at other players commenting on that video, the guy is not 100% healthy. This is the first time I’ve ever seen an actual player who hasn’t been cleared by the medical staff participate in football drills outside of the facility.”
Whitner went on to emphasize that Kittle is needlessly risking the 49ers’ championship aspirations by pushing his body prematurely, specifically pointing out the danger of aggravating a lower-body ailment.
“I’m gonna go out and say this: he’s dangling that Super Bowl playing around with his Achilles right now,” he said. “Because think about what he means to the 49ers offense and not just the offense, but think about what he means to this team as the emotional leader. It perpetuates and penetrates onto the defense and the special teams as well with the way that he plays. So if George Kittle hypothetically goes out there and hurts himself right now, the 49ers cannot and will not make it to the Super Bowl.”
Kittle suffered a torn Achilles during San Francisco’s NFC Wild Card playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on January 11. While an Achilles tear typically threatens a player’s entire follow-up campaign, the tone surrounding Kittle’s recovery has been remarkably optimistic. General Manager John Lynch noted the team was “hopeful” Kittle could beat the odds, later stating the tight end is expected to “be ready at some point, if not for the first game.”
Kittle himself has shared that he is trending ahead of schedule, though he acknowledged that the 49ers’ regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, introduces massive logistical hurdles.
His practicing in this way, though, indicates he’s trending toward positivity toward playing soon. Even if Whitner doesn’t approve of where Kittle is doing it.
