Following the 49ers’ defeat of the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, star tight end George Kittle offered a classic one-liner to all of Levi’s Stadium from the trophy ceremony podium.
“They had us in the first half, not gonna lie,” Kittle told the faithful. “But here we are now.”
Kittle, who finished the win with just three receptions for 27 yards, played a big part in San Francisco’s comeback against Detroit with his routine energy and sportsmanship.
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And in perfect Kittle fashion, the All-Pro confidently planned his one-liner hours before the game's conclusion -- back in the second quarter -- when the 49ers trailed the Lions by 17 points.
When standing next to his teammates, including quarterback Brock Purdy, on the 49ers' sideline, Kittle said, “I can’t wait ‘til after the game, and I get to say, ‘They had us in the first half.’ ”
He also shared sound words of advice with Purdy in the same breath.
San Francisco 49ers
“Keep slinging it, have fun, encourage the guys, right? You’re the guy,” Kittle told the young signal-caller.
In the second half of the game, the 49ers outscored the Lions 27-7, erasing a 24-7 deficit and ultimately winning 34-31.
Purdy, who struggled early, benefited from his tight end’s hopeful words and sent San Francisco to the Super Bowl with a 20-for-31 performance for 267 yards, a touchdown and a sensational completion to All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk.
Kittle’s positive vibes helped the 49ers become the eighth team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl after trailing in the second halves of the divisional playoff and conference championship rounds, according to Josh Dubow of The Associated Press.
“Speak that s--t into existence,” Kittle sang postgame.
The 49ers find themselves headed to Las Vegas for a shot at their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy -- and they beat the odds in back-to-back weeks to do it.
Before their wins over the Green Bay Packers and Detroit, San Francisco, under coach Kyle Shanahan, was 0-19 when trailing by 17 points or more in the second half and 0-30 when trailing by seven points or more entering the fourth quarter. Quickly, those figures have changed.
Partially due to Kittle, the 49ers are headed to their eighth Super Bowl and will need the 30-year-old’s energy when facing Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Feb. 11.