San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle suffered a devastating injury during Sunday’s wild card matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, casting an immediate shadow over the game and igniting a separate controversy off the field.
Kittle went down in the second quarter after hauling in a six-yard catch near the sideline. The injury appeared non-contact, and concern was evident as teammates quickly gathered around him. Moments later, the seven-time Pro Bowler was carted off the field at Lincoln Financial Field.
Not long after, the 49ers announced Kittle had been ruled out for the remainder of the game with an Achilles injury. He was later diagnosed with a torn Achilles, an injury that will sideline him for the rest of the postseason and potentially a significant portion of next season.
NFL Reporter Faces Backlash Over George Kittle Report
Shortly after Kittle exited, San Francisco Standard reporter David Lombardi claimed that Eagles fans in attendance began singing “Goodbye!” as the tight end was carted off the field. The report quickly spread on social media and triggered a wave of angry reactions aimed at Philadelphia’s fan base.
However, the narrative was soon challenged by both NFL reporters and fans alike.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark shared video footage from inside the stadium that appeared to contradict Lombardi’s account. The clip showed Eagles fans applauding Kittle as he was taken off the field, with others standing silently during the injury timeout.
As the video circulated, attention shifted from the crowd to the report itself. Lombardi was met with intense criticism online, with many fans accusing him of misrepresenting what happened.
“You lose all professional credibility with this tweet. What a subhuman tweet aimed just for clicks,” one user wrote.
Others were more direct, labeling the claim as completely fabricated.
“Why are you lying, David?” another said.
“That’s literally not even what happened,” added another.
“100% false. If anything there was more concern as the injury time out was rapidly called and the cart came right out; and the crowd stayed silent and gave a round of applause as he went off,” a fan posted.
“Didn’t happen, liar,” an angry follower remarked.
The 49ers beat the Eagles 23-19, but sure enough, Kittle’s injury is a huge blow to a team hoping to contend for the Super Bowl.
