SANTA CLARA, Calif. — George Kittle isn’t playing in Super Bowl 60, but he’s certainly making noise on Radio Row. With his right foot encased in a walking boot following a season-ending Achilles tear, the San Francisco 49ers tight end joined the Pat McAfee Show Friday and didn’t hold back. His target? The NFL’s “outrageous” protection of quarterbacks and the brutal reality of the sport he loves.
While the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots prepare to clash at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, Kittle offered a grim reminder: Football is violent, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Stop Making It So Easy”
Kittle’s 2025 campaign ended in the Wild Card round against the Eagles, part of a devastating wave of injuries that derailed San Francisco’s title hopes. Yet, despite the hardware on his leg, Kittle rejected the league’s push for a safer game.
He specifically targeted the roughing the passer penalties that have bailed out offenses all season. For Kittle, a defensive lineman swiping at the ball shouldn’t fear a flag for accidental contact.
“I think they still need to work on roughing the passer. I think that’s outrageous still. If you get hit in the head … I don’t think that should be a thing unless you get hit helmet-to-helmet on a quarterback.” — George Kittle, 49ers Tight End
He doubled down, telling McAfee the league has tilted the field too far: “If a [defensive lineman] is swiping to hit a ball and you accidentally hit the quarterback in the head that shouldn’t be a 15-yard penalty. Stop making it so easy on offenses.”
Scouting the Enemy: Seahawks Look Like ’19 Niners
Kittle knows Sunday’s NFC representative better than almost anyone. The 49ers faced the Seahawks three times this season, a grueling stretch that gave Kittle a front-row seat to Seattle’s defensive resurgence. He dropped a massive comparison, likening Mike Macdonald’s current unit to the legendary 49ers defense that powered San Francisco to the Super Bowl in 2019.
“They come off the ball, they hit you in the face really, really hard,” Kittle said. “They penetrate against the line of scrimmage; your offensive line is always in the backfield and their DBs take advantage of that.”
The key, according to Kittle, is efficiency up front. Seattle doesn’t need to blitz to wreck a game plan.
“When you only have to rush four guys, especially when you have elite defensive tackles on the inside, then your DBs are only covering for three, four seconds instead of five, six seconds.”
The “Substation” Elephant in the Room
Kittle’s appearance also touched on the bizarre storyline that has shadowed the 49ers’ injury-plagued season: The Levi’s Stadium electrical substation conspiracy. With stars like Kittle, Talanoa Hufanga, and Brock Purdy all missing time, a viral theory surfaced suggesting the nearby power plant’s EMF radiation was weakening players’ soft tissue.
While GM John Lynch addressed the rumors earlier this week—confirming the team looked into it but found no scientific backing—the chatter hasn’t died down. Kittle laughed off the “Wi-Fi” theories involving teammate Christian McCaffrey but admitted the sheer volume of injuries this year was baffling. For now, the “curse” remains an internet myth, but Kittle’s boot is a very real reminder of the cost of doing business in the NFL.
Super Bowl 60 Implications
Kittle’s breakdown signals trouble for New England. If Seattle’s front four can replicate the pressure Kittle described, the Patriots’ passing attack could stall early. The 49ers couldn’t solve that puzzle in the NFC West; on Sunday, the world finds out if the AFC champs have the answer.
