49ers’ George Kittle proves he’s all the way back—and then some—with record-breaking touchdown

George Kittle's highlight touchdown against the Denver Broncos on Sunday was significant in more ways than just being the play that put the 49ers over the top in their gutty 24-14 win at Levi's Stadium.

It further cemented him atop the 49ers' record book, while also showing he isn't just all the way back from the torn Achilles that ended his 2025 season. It proved that despite that injury, and despite being almost 33 years old, Kittle still looks like he's in his prime.

Kittle's 56-yard touchdown against the Broncos, which came late in the fourth quarter with the 49ers clinging to a 17-14 lead, was also the 56th in his NFL career. Kittle is now one touchdown ahead of Vernon Davis for the all-time franchise lead in touchdowns by a tight end, putting him atop team record books in that category as well as receptions (611) and receiving yards (8,252) for a tight end. Kittle's touchdown mark puts him fourth overall in receiving touchdowns by a 49er, three behind wide receiver Gene Washington (59). His yardage total is within reach of Terrell Owens, whose 8,572 yards ranks second all-time.

With Jerry Rice's team records out of reach (1,281 catches, 19,247 yards, 176 touchdowns) and Owens' second-place touchdown number (81) still a safe distance off, Kittle, who already ranks second overall in receptions, may not be able to climb the record books much further once he passes Owens for yardage and Washington for touchdowns. But, as he showed on Sunday as well as the first three games this season, he's got more than enough gas in the tank to add significantly to his totals before his playing days are done.

"Kittle's going to go down as probably the greatest tight end to ever play the game," 49ers left tackle Trent Williams said Sunday. "Definitely the greatest tight end to ever put on a San Francisco 49er helmet, and he deserves it... To me, he has a long way to go as far as what he has to offer the game. When it's all said and done, I think he will go down as the greatest tight end ever."

That part about being the greatest tight end in NFL history might prove to be a bit of hyperbole from Williams, who has always been one to heavily praise his teammates. But there's no doubt that Kittle is still writing his legacy, and he may wind up adding another Pro Bowl-caliber season to what is already a Hall of Fame resume. Kittle has 20 catches for 244 yards and four touchdowns through four games and has been making highlights over the past three games in particular after starting with two catches for 12 yards in the 49ers' season-opening win over the Rams in Australia. The game in Melbourne served as a way for Kittle to get his feet wet after storming back from his torn Achilles in just around eight months, but since then he's looked like the Kittle of yesteryear.

"Australia felt totally weird, but like week two and on, I had so much confidence in it and haven't looked back since," Kittle said Sunday.

What stood out about Kittle's touchdown on Sunday was the speed he showed despite his injury and age (Kittle turns 33 on October 9). Kittle left a safe distance between himself and the Broncos' defense, including his friend and former 49ers teammate, safety Talanoa Hufanga.

"Anytime you see green grass, I think I ran the entire way with a smile on my face, so that was pretty fun," Kittle said. "And always outrunning younger old teammates is a great time, especially when they're (Hufanga)."

Kittle was clocked at 19.84 MPH on the play by NFL Next Gen Stats. Kittle, who said Sunday he hit 21.6 MPH during a tackle in 2018, wasn't surprised at his speed on his touchdown after what he was able to do while rehabbing his injury.

"Well, I expected it," Kittle said. "In July I was hitting 20 miles an hour, so I knew that if I could just do it consistently—I think the biggest part was like the acceleration was getting that back. And I really, really felt that like starting like week two and on."

The touchdown didn't quite cement the 49ers' victory over the Broncos, who still had enough time on the clock to score and recover an onside kick. But Kittle's touchdown stopped the Broncos' momentum after cutting the score to 17-14 on the previous drive, and when a 58-yard field goal attempt by kicker Wil Lutz sailed right with 1:18 left to play, Kittle's touchdown officially became the final nail in the coffin.

"I've done this too long to have any relief. There was still too much time on the clock," head coach Kyle Shanahan said about Kittle's touchdown. "They could go down fast, kick an onside kick, and we don't get to touch it again. But we were excited. We knew it was going to be tight, you know, just some running situations, anticipating zero, and that's what we got. And we thought if we could get it versus zero and just get the screen off and make one block, then that's what we had envisioned, because that's the type of player George is. And we got that block. It looked like he needs to carry the ball through the end zone, not watch the scoreboard with Huf chasing him, but it was a hell of a play by him and perfect timing."

Kittle's touchdown on Sunday might have made up for something he's still sour about that happened during a game against the Broncos in 2018, but only a little bit. Kittle had 210 receiving yards in the first half of that game but none in the second half, which left him just four yards off the NFL single-game receiving yardage record by a tight end, held by Shannon Sharpe (214). He felt he could have had more against the Broncos again on Sunday, but what he did get in the end left him happy.

"We had a couple plays up like that and we just didn't get any of them called," Kittle said. "It was one of those weeks where I was like, 'I could have 200 yards. This would be sick,' and then we didn't call a single one of those plays. So that's really disappointing. But when I finally got that one, because like we watched a couple of those plays from the Broncos game in 2018, and like that was our goal. And so I definitely had some flashbacks and it's always a good feeling."

Kittle's emergence over the past three games has been a significant boost for a team that has had injury issues at wide receiver, and as long as he stays healthy, he'll almost certainly have more highlight plays ahead of him this season. For how hard he worked to be ready for the season after a torn Achilles in January, Kittle will deserve whatever highlights come his way.

"You can talk about being tough all you want," running back Christian McCaffrey said Sunday. "You can call him tough, but I think football gives you a unique opportunity to really show it, and that's what he's doing. To do what he did all off-season, to grind every single day non-stop, it's showing. And you know, I think I'd love to say I'm shocked, but I'm not. That's just who he is. He attacks everything full speed, always has the best attitude, and so it's no shock that George Kittle is playing like George Kittle."

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