Kittle’s kerfuffle: ‘F— Dallas’ t-shirt results in $13k fine
By Freddy Brewster
SAN FRANCISCO - George Kittle, the San Francisco 49ers tight end, didn’t get the birthday present he was hoping for.
Kittle, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Oct. 9, was fined $13,659 Friday for wearing a "Fuck Dallas" t-shirt under his jersey and displaying it during the 49ers 42-10 romping of the Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday.
Kittle logged three receptions for 67 yards and three touchdowns during the game.
After a touchdown by running back Jordan Mason, Kittle joined in the celebration by lifting his jersey to reveal the fine-worthy t-shirt.
"That was just on my loop man, I [was] just wearing a t-shirt for the game and I don’t know how that got on there," Kittle jokingly said on the Pat McAfee show. "I might have been mildly inspired by our guy Gary Plummer who wore that in the ‘94 NFC Championship game versus Dallas."
Plummer played middle linebacker for the 49ers from 1994 to 1997.
"There’s just some things that need to be worn for the franchise, I think it is just coincidence that it happened to appear on my chest on Sunday Night Football," Kittle added.
"That was just on my loop man, I [was] just wearing a t-shirt for the game and I don’t know how that got on there," Kittle jokingly said on the Pat McAfee show. "I might have been mildly inspired by our guy Gary Plummer who wore that in the ‘94 NFC Championship game versus Dallas."
Plummer played middle linebacker for the 49ers from 1994 to 1997.
"There’s just some things that need to be worn for the franchise, I think it is just coincidence that it happened to appear on my chest on Sunday Night Football," Kittle added.
"He said ‘F Dallas,’ I feel like he’s making it way more personal than it had to be," Parsons said on his podcast, The Edge. "Kittle is my guy, but I’m going to say this: Laugh now, cry later. We got something for that. If we see them again, just trust."
But Parsons was widely mocked across the media sphere.
"It doesn’t make sense, [Parsons] had every opportunity, a 60-minute ball game to make it personal," said Richard Sherman, former 49ers cornerback. "He had two quarterback pressures in the game. For you to say that after a game you just got dog-walked, I don’t get it."
Deebo Samuels, 49ers wide receiver, also mocked Parsons.
"It was already personal before the game started and 42-10, I don’t think you want to see us again," Samuels said on the Up & Adams show. "It might be a little worse."
But Kittle has no regrets and said he would do it again. On Thursday, Kittle said he hadn’t yet heard from league officials but was expecting a fine.
"It is what it is, it was a decision I made," Kittle told David Lombardi, staff writer for The Athletic. "If they want to fine me, they’ll fine me. I’d do it again."
The undefeated Niners are playing the 2-2 Cleveland Browns this coming Sunday in Cleveland at 10 a.m. PT.
