SANTA CLARA, Calif. – San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has yet to receive a verdict from the NFL on whether he will be fined for the T-shirt he wore under his uniform against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
When asked what he expects when that decision is made, Kittle said Thursday that he will likely have to pay for his wardrobe choice.
“Probably to get a fine,” Kittle said. “I was wearing a personalized T-shirt, maybe an inappropriate word. So it’s like that. It’s a decision I made, if they want to fine me, they’ll fine me.”
Kittle wore the jersey under his red No. 85 jersey in the Niners’ 42-10 victory over the Cowboys. The gray shirt said “F— Dallas” in blue letters, and Kittle revealed it while celebrating running back Jordan Mason’s 26-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
George Kittle’s shirt from Sunday night 👀 @gkittle46 pic.twitter.com/iOUicQwh2P
– Sports Center (@SportsCenter) October 9, 2023
Sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday that the league is considering a fine for a “personal message” uniform violation. The price to pay for such an offense is $10,927.
But Kittle made it clear Thursday that he has no regrets, even if he is fined.
“One hundred percent,” Kittle said. “I would do it again.”
Since the 49ers selected Kittle in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, he has made it a point to study the team’s rich history. That’s what led him to wear this jersey as a tribute to former Niners linebacker Gary Plummer, who wore a similar jersey with the same message in the 1994 NFC Championship Game against the Cowboys.
At the time, San Francisco-Dallas was the league’s biggest rivalry; the teams have faced each other in three straight NFC championship games and combined to win all three Super Bowl titles.
Kittle said he’s heard from a handful of former Niners on social media over the past few days.
“A little bit here and there,” Kittle said. “I would love to talk to Gary Plummer and get his vibe.”
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday he had no problem with Kittle wearing that jersey, noting it was all part of the tight end’s oversized personality.
“[It’s] just Kittle, WWE stuff, entertainment,” Shanahan said. “Not really much, I just smiled.”
One person who wasn’t smiling about it was Cowboys passer Micah Parsons. Speaking on his podcast “The Edge with Micah Parsons,” Parsons said he felt like Kittle “made it way more personal than it should be.
Dallas safety Jayron Kearse didn’t see it the same way, adding: “I have no problem with anything he did. If we did our job and kept him out of the zone goals, he wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
Kittle had three catches for 67 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Even if he is fined, Kittle said he will not wear a similarly themed T-shirt when the Niners play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday because no such rivalry exists between the teams.
“I’m not making this up,” Kittle said. “We rely on the 49ers ahead of us. That’s something I’ve seen throughout my career, and ultimately, I just wanted to channel it.”
