Kittle underwent core surgery during the offseason
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle says he lost 30 pounds during the offseason after necessary surgery following the 49ers' loss in Super Bowl LVIII kept him out of the gym for around a month.
Kittle, known for his large stature on the field, said during a recent episode of the "Bussin’ With the Boys" podcast that he lost a significant amount of weight after undergoing core surgery in February.
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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"I couldn’t lift," he said via NBC Sports Bay Area. "I couldn’t do any upper body because of my shoulder and my rib, and I couldn’t do lower [body] because of my core surgery.
"I didn't lift from the Super Bowl until, like, almost mid-March."
Staying out of the gym also had its mental challenges. Kittle said his anxiety levels were "pretty high" as a result.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is tackled by Trent McDuffie of the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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Despite the weight loss and time off, Kittle said he’s nearly back to playing form, give or take a few pounds.
"It was tough, but I’m feeling great now, which is fantastic… I’d say I’m almost back to 100 percent," he said.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle works out during minicamp in Santa Clara, California, on June 5. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Kittle finished the 2023 season with over 1,000 receiving yards, the first time he hit that mark since 2019. He played in every regular season game besides the Niners' Week 18 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
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Paulina Dedaj is a Sports Reporter for Fox News Digital.
