George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk show up and keep the 49ers from throwing up

SEATTLE – Last November, George Kittle and several of his San Francisco 49ers teammates triumphantly devoured turkey on the Seattle Seahawks' home field.

On Thursday night, as the 49ers were in danger of losing another game to another division opponent, Kittle briefly felt like he was going to throw up.

Metaphorically speaking, the Niners were devastated after giving up all but six points of their 23-3 third-quarter lead with more than 16 minutes to play. After strangleholds against the Rams and Cardinals — all in less than three weeks — the thought of being crushed by the Hawks on Thursday Night Football was too much to bear.

“You know what? “When you lose two games, you feel like you should have won because you didn't score in the fourth quarter and the defense played well enough to win. That can't happen again ” said Kittle after the 49ers (3-3) finished a 36-24 win at Lumen Field. “We had to go out there and finish it; “

In classic Kittle fashion, he delivered his contribution with vigor and flashiness, complete with buddy-movie vibes (with fullback Kyle Juszczyk co-starring) and the requisite public displays of affection for his wife, Claire.

The star tight end, who turned 31 on Wednesday, brings the enthusiasm of a young boy to a grueling sport.

Make no mistake, though: When the Niners needed it most on Thursday night, Kittle was a adult man.

That was the situation, and it wasn't pleasant: After Kittle caught a spectacular 10-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to give the 49ers a 20-goal lead with 10:07 left in the third quarter, it looked like it was The boys on the away sideline could finally take a deep breath.

Soon they began to feel uneasy, as if they were trapped in a vicious circle from which they could not escape.

First, there was the inevitable special teams debacle when the Seahawks' Laviska Shenault Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. After a four-play drive, the Niners were forced to punt and Ronnie Bell knocked the ball down at the Seattle 6-yard line.

The Seahawks then drove 94 yards in 13 plays to cut the lead to 23-17. The dynamics had changed and a potential crisis was looming.

“In my head – and in what Fred (Warner) was preaching – it was, 'This won't happen again,'” cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said. “Fred said, ‘We’re not doing that The again,” and I felt that. We looked at each other and said, 'Let's finish this.'”

The 49ers' defense did its part when rookie cornerback Renardo Green intercepted a pass from Geno Smith in Seattle territory midway through the fourth quarter.

However, Kittle and his offensive colleagues — and especially the unit's most decorated veterans, also known as the “OGs,” as Juszczyk called them — were the ones who really regulated.

“That’s exactly it, baby,” Kittle said.

The revered veterans refused to be turned away, a sentiment symbolized by a fourth-quarter play that left Kittle and wide receiver Deebo Samuel both limping to the sideline with injuries. Two plays later, Samuel, who had scored the game's first touchdown with a 76-yard catch-and-run, was back on the field carrying the football. On the following play, Kittle also returned to the game.

“He’s a warrior,” Juszczyk said of the five-time Pro Bowl selection. “He went in, got his ankle taped, came back and scored a touchdown. How sick is that?”

As the specter of another collapse loomed large, the OGs made it their mission to rid the 49ers of their unseemly habit.

“That was a reason for us to be proud considering what we had to deal with all year,” Juszczyk said. “For us it was about getting the win and not just hoping that everything works out. It said, 'Put it on our shoulders.'” Let's win this game.'”

They did it with a theatrical flair that far exceeded the triumph of last year's turkey. Magic moment number one occurred on a 3rd-and-4 play from the Seattle 9 with 6:24 left. The Niners, who struggled mightily in the red zone in 2024 (after being the league's best in that department last season), looked like they would have to settle for a field goal again.

However, Kittle found a small gap in the middle of the field, just behind the goal line, and Purdy pushed the ball between two defenders for an impressive touchdown connection.

It was time to celebrate — and Kittle and Juszczyk had a pre-planned display of PDA ready. Twenty-two years after Niners receiver Terrell Owens' infamous Sharpie stunt behind the north end zone, the teammates and BFFs had also put their wives in a suite behind that goal post, sitting in the front row, just like TO's financial advisor had at the time.

“George and I had said if one of us scored in that end zone, we would run there,” Juszczyk said. “But he almost forgot. I thought he might not have gotten into the end zone at all. He came back to the sideline and I said, ‘Did you score?’ He said yes. And I said, 'Suite!'”

And then it became… sweet. Kittle got a kiss from Claire, Kyle got a smooch from his wife (and noted fashionista) Kristin, and the 49ers had a 12-point lead.

“No, I haven’t forgotten,” Kittle said, laughing. “I just relied on 'Juice' to remind me. Like when you’re told to take out the trash and you don’t hear it until your wife reminds you.”

In other words, Kittle relied on a buddy who had been his teammate for the past eight seasons — making Juszczyk, in a sense, Kittle's “soccer wife.”

“He’s definitely the woman,” Kittle said with a laugh. “He’s more focused on what needs to be done.”

Since it was a buddy comedy, Juszczyk still had a feel-good scene in his future. And because it was the 49ers, they allowed the Seahawks to make it a one-possession game again, with Smith finding Tyler Lockett in the end zone on a fourth-down throw with 1:44 left, cutting the lead to 29-24.

Once again, the Niners needed the offense to finish. With running back Jordan Mason out in the first half due to a shoulder injury, rookie Isaac Guerendo would get the piece. He took a handoff, drifted outside and absolutely rocked it, hitting a seam and racing 76 yards before sliding downfield at the Seattle 5.

Two plays later, on 2nd-and-goal from the 6, Purdy pushed the ball to Juszczyk on a fullback dive, fooling Seahawks defenders who thought Guerendo was getting the handoff. When he landed in the end zone, it was too good to be true.

“I was jealous that George got his touchdown (in that end zone),” Juszczyk said, “and man, what are the chances of us both doing it?”

There were more kisses with women – and for the entire team it was as if they had experienced the warm embrace of an old friend and remembered a time when they routinely ended games.

The 49ers, who now share first place in the NFC West with the Seahawks, half a game ahead of the Cardinals at 2-3, behaved after the game as if they had awakened from a trance.

Samuel, dressing at his locker, began reliving his long touchdown catch, which came after safety Julian Love rushed past him as the receiver caught Purdy's pass and linebacker Boye Mafe gave chase in vain.

“You thought he was going to get me?” Samuel said to Purdy, who wore a guilty expression and said, “Uhhhhhh.”

Juszczyk chimed in: “Deebo, that was close. You were chased by a defensive lineman.”

“Stop it, Juice,” Samuel said jokingly – although he didn’t actually say “Stop!” (but since it’s a family newspaper, you can just let your imagination run wild).

Kittle, wearing a black baseball cap that read “Out Kicked My Coverage,” took it all in with a big smile.

“Was that fun?” he asked, but no one needed to answer.

Thanks to Kittle and his stalwart friends, it was the most fun the 49ers had had in a long time.

Reach Michael Silver: [email protected]