Fake George Kittle quotes spread as NFL honors late Charlie Kirk; Claire Kittle speaks out
Wife and husband debunk fake quotes circulating after tributes to the late Charlie Kirk; Kittle sidelined with hamstring injury as 49ers prepare for Week 3
Online posts circulated Thursday alleging that San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle criticized NFL teams for honoring the late Charlie Kirk after his death at a Utah Valley University speaking event. The claims quickly spread on social media before both Kittle and his wife, Claire, publicly denounced them as fake.
Kirk was described in reports as a public figure who was assassinated last week, prompting tributes from NFL teams ahead of kickoff across the league; the Buffalo Bills became the 10th team to remember him. The 49ers, who traveled for a road game against the New Orleans Saints, were taking part in that wave of tributes.
Claire Kittle used her Instagram story to call out the fake quotes, writing that they were clearly fake and criticizing the culture of spreading misinformation, adding that the couple had been harassed over comments attributed to George.
George Kittle addressed the issue on his own Instagram, stating that the quotes were fake and urging people to ignore accounts that publish fake news.
Claire posted a second fabricated quote and urged followers to do research before leaping to conclusions, saying that people suck and that they should be better.
Kittle did not play in Week 1 due to a hamstring injury and is not expected to return until mid-October; the 49ers said he could be out for about a month. He is not expected back until October 12 at the earliest when the 49ers travel to Florida to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The team is 2-0 heading into Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The episode underscores how misinformation spreads rapidly on social media, even as teams and players mourn public figures, and as the NFL continues to balance tributes with the realities of the season on the field.