Claire Kittle: Star TE Will Return Stronger After Injury

George Kittle's wife Claire knows her husband won't stay down for long.

The seven-time Pro Bowl tight end suffered an Achilles injury during the 49ers' playoff win over the Eagles on Sunday. As he was carted off the field in Philadelphia, Claire watched from the stands, yelling "get up, get up" over and over.

Hours later, she shared a powerful message on Instagram that mixed heartbreak with hope. "He always gets up. He's George — he can do all things," Claire wrote alongside photos from the training room and sideline.

The injury came during the second quarter, but the 49ers rallied without their star player to win 23-19. San Francisco moves on to face the Seahawks in the divisional round, though Kittle won't suit up.

Claire's post captured the unique pain of loving an athlete. "There's no preparing for it," she wrote about watching her husband get hurt. But her faith never wavered.

"He is a unicorn in this world, and he will be back stronger and better than ever before," she continued. "The mind of a heartbroken athlete is a determined one."

George responded to his wife's message with simple gratitude. "You're the best teammate for this journey," he commented.

Why This Inspires

Claire's words remind us that setbacks don't define us. Her post went beyond typical athlete injury updates to reveal something deeper: true partnership means believing in someone even when they're at their lowest.

She didn't just focus on George's recovery. Claire praised the entire 49ers team for their "rally-together grit," calling it a special year that's "not done yet."

The 49ers are playing through significant injuries this season. Pro Bowl players Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are also out for Saturday's game. But offensive lineman Trent Williams says these challenges built resilience.

"I think that made us stronger," Williams said. "If we didn't have experience with that, it would have been easy for everybody to fold."

Kittle played just 11 games this season due to injuries but still racked up 628 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Now he faces his toughest challenge yet, but he won't face it alone.

Claire's message of unwavering support shows that comeback stories start long before an athlete returns to the field.