George Kittle had a heartbreaking reaction to the Kyle Juszczyk news.
The San Francisco 49ers on Monday informed Juszczyk that they would be releasing him, ending his 8-year run with the team.
Juszczyk came to the 49ers in 2017 after signing with them in free agency. He originally was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2013 and spent his first four seasons with them before joining the NFC squad that became his long-time home.
Juszczyk and Kittle joined the 49ers at the same time; Kittle was a rookie 5th-round pick in 2017. They were the only two members of the team who had been with the franchise since then. But that came to an end on Monday, leaving Kittle sad.
Kittle shared a post on X that contained a broken heart emoji and picture of a juice box — his way of saying he had a broken heart over Juszczyk. He also shared photos of him and Juszczyk together on his Instagram Story, including one of them from 2017. The caption for that photo was “Day one juice.”
Juszczyk was a fan-favorite in San Francisco and part of the heart and soul of the 49ers. He has made the Pro Bowl in every season since 2016 and made the All-Pro team two years in a row. The versatile fullback had 200 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns last season, along with a rushing touchdown.
The 49ers trading Deebo Samuel and releasing Juszczyk in the same offseason signals a change in offensive scheme for the team. They will likely use more 12 personnel (one running back/two tight ends) moving forward and less 21 personnel (two running backs/one tight end) formations.
All Kittle knows is that it will be emotionally tough to play for a Niners team without Juszczyk around.
