Amid the celebration of a San Francisco 49ers playoff win against the Philadelphia Eagles, there was another of the team’s star players went down with a season-ending injury.
George Kittle tore his Achilles during a play in the first half of Sunday’s game. The latest injury now makes it three of the Niners’ best players who have been lost for the season — the others are All Pro linebacker Fred Warner and star defensive lineman Nick Bosa.
There have been many other players during the season who have missed games because of injuries. Many consider, even for the National Football League, the amount of injuries dealt to the 49ers this season is a lot.
“Injuries will occur. Every team has injuries. But it’s true the 49eres have had more than most,” said Matt Maiocco, a 49ers insider for NBC Sports Bay Area.
The 49ers’ injury list has also included quarterback Brock Purdy, who missed eight games with turf toe before returning a few weeks ago.
“It’s a violent sport. And it’s a difficult sport,” Maiocco said. “I don’t think bodies were made to play football.”
Maiocco said players have evolved over the last few years, making the game even more intense.
“The size of these players — the collisions are more intense than they ever have been,” Maiocco said. “And every year it seems the players get bigger, faster, stronger. And bones, ligaments and tendons kind of remain the same.”
When asked about all the injuries, Niners receiver Kendrick Bourne after Sunday’s game jokingly referenced electro-magnetic waves created by a power station next to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara — a conspiracy theory that has gained buzz online.
It is worth noting experts have dismissed the “power plant theory” as a social media myth.
Maiocco said even with all the injuries, the 49ers believe they have what it takes to make it to the Super Bowl.
The NFL divisional round will determine who advances to the AFC and NFC Championship Games.