Why it Took George Kittle a While to get Over Super Bowl LVIII Loss

Super Bowl LVIII was such a heartbreaking loss for the 49ers. Arguably no other player on the team was more hurt from it than George Kittle. He explains why this one hurts the most as opposed to Super Bowl LIV.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII was extremely heartbreaking for the San Francisco 49ers.

It isn't a feeling that they are strangers to. It's been that way for them since 2019 and hasn't come close to stopping. Considering all of the letdown seasons, you would think that it would make them hardened to it.

But this loss seemed to impact the 49ers more than other seasons, including the Super Bowl LIV loss. George Kittle, for instance, is one player who arguably felt the sting of this loss the most. It took him a while to get over it, so why did it given this isn't really a brand new feeling?

"When you don't achieve that one goal you really want to get to, it's tough," said Kittle. "I think back to Joe Staley who played in two super bowls and didn't win one. Garrett Celek played in two super bowls and didn't win one. Just listening to them hear how hard it was, I get that now. I understand that just playing for seven years."

This makes total sense for why it would take Kittle and other 49ers players some time to bounce back. It wasn't just a regular heartbreaking loss. It was how it went down and the fact that it was their revenge game to rewrite the loss from four years ago.

They failed.

Having that failure is draining, especially with how their last two seasons have ended in heartbreak. Those stack up and can lead to emotional draining for the year. But having a lack of drive isn't going to be a concern with Kittle as he has figured out a way to move past it.

"How I put it past me is I wake up every single day and get to play football and I get another opportunity to get at it this season," Kittle said. "Nothing I can do about controlling that. It is what it is. Unfortunately, I didn't achieve my goal of winning a super bowl, but I have another opportunity to do it this year. Does that suck? Yea, but the fact I have another opportunity with a fantastic football team, great roster, I'd bet on our team."

Kittle keeps it real here. He knows that the loss in the Super Bowl will never truly go away, but there is nothing he can do about it but try to get back there again and finally win one. It is the mentality that the 49ers need in 2024 and hopefully one that gives them a fire that makes them enraged to get back.

"You get past it because we have a fantastic roster and I still believe in this team that we can win."