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The 2024 campaign did not go the San Francisco 49ers way, with star tight end George Kittle being one of their only players who managed to consistently produce for the team throughout the year. On Wednesday, he earned an award from the NFL that doesn’t highlight his play on the field, but rather the contributions he makes off the field.
While Kittle is obviously known for his star play with San Francisco, he’s also renowned for his work in the community, particularly with various military groups and members. That is why Kittle was named the 2024 USAA Salute to Service award winner, which he accepted with a heartfelt reaction.
“I am incredibly thankful and honored to be this year’s Salute to Service Award recipient,” Kittle said after winning the award. “My appreciation for the military stems from watching my Uncle Pat serve multiple tours with the National Guard and seeing firsthand how much it impacted him and his family while he was overseas. Without my family and their unwavering support, I would not be able to create these genuine and authentic relationships with the real heroes and the ones who should be receiving this award, the active-duty members, veterans, TAPS and families that have lost loved ones in the line of fire.
“The support you see for the military around the league is so important and the fact that guys on every team do it, not just the nominees, is awesome. We are allowed to live the lives we live here because of the sacrifices they make, so we’re just trying to honor them, show our support, and share as much love as we can.”
Injuries ravaged the Niners in 2024, which resulted in them going from being on the doorstep of winning Super Bowl 58 to missing the playoffs entirely this year. Kittle managed to suit up for 15 of San Fran’s 17 games, which is a pretty high total when looking at how many games most of his fellow teammates played in.
The result was another strong season from Kittle, as he hauled in 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns, earning him a spot on the All-Pro second team and his sixth career Pro Bowl selection. However, you can bet he’d rather see his team be more successful, and he will be looking to help the 49ers put together a bounce back campaign in 2025.
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