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49ers George Kittle enjoys signature game of…
49ers George Kittle enjoys signature game of breakout season
Tight end goes over 1,000 yards this season, tallies 210 by halftime against Broncos
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) celebrates his touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) makes a catch against Denver Broncos' Su'a Cravens (21) late in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) celebrates his first down catch against the Denver Broncos in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) high-fives San Francisco 49ers' Garrett Celek (88) after Kittle's 85-yard touchdown catch against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) is tackled at the end of a run following a catch by Denver Broncos' Justin Simmons (31) in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) makes a catch against the Denver Broncos in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) runs for a touchdown after a catch against the Denver Broncos in the second quarter at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 9: San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shakes hands with San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle (85) following their 20-14 win over the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
By Cam Inman |
PUBLISHED: December 9, 2018 at 2:49 p.m. | UPDATED: December 10, 2018 at 3:29 a.m.
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SANTA CLARA — George Kittle, have a day. Check that, all the 49ers star tight end needed Sunday was the first half as he carved his name into the franchise record book.
Kittle had seven receptions for 210 yards by halftime against the Denver Broncos, and, with appropriate flair, his 85-yard touchdown reception pushed him over 1,000 yards this season, the first tight end in franchise history to reach that receiving milestone.
Kittle opened with a 5-yard reception on the 49ers' initial snap. Then came a 31-yarder. Then 6 yards, then 52, then 85. He wasn't done with the half until 13- and 18-yard receptions in the final minute set up another 49ers touchdown, that being a 1-yard strike from Nick Mullens to Dante Pettis for a 20-0 lead.
Add it all up and his 210 receiving yards raised Kittle's season total to 1,103 yards — with an entire half and three more games to go.
Vernon Davis previously held the franchise record for single-season yards by a tight end, with 965 yards in 2009.
Kittle's 85-yard touchdown catch, which put the 49ers ahead 13-0, tied for the seventh-longest pass play in 49ers history (Jim Plunkett to Delvin Williams), and the longest since Tim Rattay connected on an 85-yard pass to Brandon Lloyd in 2005.
Kittle is the first 49er with 1,000 receiving yards since wide receiver Anquan Boldin had 1,062 yards in 2014.
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The 49ers (2-10) parlayed Kittle's massive production into a 20-0 lead, their biggest since their last win, a 34-3 home victory over the Raiders on Nov. 1.
Nick Mullens, in his fifth career start, had 271 yards through the first half on 16-of-24 passing for two touchdowns and no interceptions with two sacks. His counterpart, Case Keenum, was 7 of 15 for 43 yards entering halftime.
Cam Inman
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