George Kittle Injury Update: NFL Star Shockingly Finished Bottle of Tequila After Tearing His Achilles

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle turned to an unconventional coping mechanism after suffering a devastating Achilles injury during Sunday night's wild-card playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. The All-Pro reportedly polished off an entire bottle of top-shelf Patrón tequila in the locker room after learning the full extent of what is likely to be a career-altering setback.

Kittle tore his Achilles in the second quarter of San Francisco's 23-19 upset at Lincoln Financial Field, going down after being pushed out of bounds on a 6-yard reception. He immediately grabbed his lower leg in visible agony, before being carted off and helped into the locker room on one leg, a scene captured in multiple videos that quickly spread online. The 49ers ruled him out for the remainder of the game, not long after, prompting immediate concern about his availability for the rest of the playoffs and beyond.

Owner's Tequila Gesture in Sombre Locker Room

In the aftermath, 49ers owner Jed York personally visited Kittle in the locker room to check on his star tight end. When York asked if there was anything he could get for him, Kittle asked for tequila—a request that led to a bottle of Patrón being dispatched from the owners' suite and hand-delivered to the injured star within minutes.

The scene in the locker room was sombre, with both York and Kittle's wife, Claire Kittle, appearing visibly shaken as they entered to see the injured player. The gravity of the situation was evident to everyone present, as Achilles tears typically require lengthy rehabilitation periods and can be career-altering for professional athletes. The gesture from York demonstrated the close relationship between the 49ers' ownership and their players during difficult moments.

49ers Upset Champs Despite Injuries

San Francisco's win came despite a mounting injury list that already included defensive end Nick Bosa (knee) and linebacker Fred Warner (ankle), forcing the coaching staff to lean on depth in a hostile Philadelphia environment. The 49ers entered as underdogs against the reigning Super Bowl champions, yet managed to grind out a 23-19 victory that will be remembered as much for resilience as for Kittle's misfortune.

The Eagles' offence struggled throughout, particularly on key downs. According to ESPN, Philadelphia receivers recorded four drops on third down, the most by any team in a playoff game since 2006, repeatedly stalling drives that could have flipped the contest. Quarterback play was uneven on both sides, but San Francisco's defence delivered critical stops and capitalised on the Eagles' miscues to survive and move on.

What Kittle's Loss Means for 49ers' Playoff Run

Losing Kittle at this stage is a brutal blow to the 49ers' Super Bowl hopes. Widely regarded as one of the league's top tight ends, he functions as both a safety valve in the passing game and an extra lineman in the run scheme, giving San Francisco's offence its distinctive flexibility. Without him, coaches will have to redesign red-zone packages, protection calls, and play-action looks on short notice as they prepare for an NFC divisional-round trip to face the top-seeded Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.

Achilles injuries typically sideline NFL players for most, if not all, of a calendar year, which means Kittle's season is almost certainly finished and his availability for the start of next season will be in doubt. The 49ers' depth at tight end and across their offensive skill positions will now be stress-tested as they try to continue an unlikely postseason push already missing Bosa, Warner, and now Kittle.