George Kittle labeled ‘Casper the ghost’ by fans after shutdown in Super Bowl loss to Chiefs

While the Kansas City Chiefs bask in the celebrations of their Super Bowl success, George Kittle and the San Francisco 49ers will have the bitter pill of defeat to swallow. The Niners' wait for a Super Bowl success stretched into a third decade, and the pain of Sunday's loss is likely to weigh more on the 49ers star tight end.

Kittle suffered his second Super Bowl loss, having been brushed by the same Patrick Mahomes-led outfit four years ago.

And while the 30-year-old takes in the disappointment of the result, his words in the build-up to the game have come back to haunt him. Kittle's 49ers lost a 10-point lead in the Super Bowl LIV, leaving him heartbroken. The then-26-year-old vowed to return to the big game "with a vengeance."

Ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl LVIII, Kittle spoke to Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner on an NFL Network segment. In the episode aired Saturday, the Madison, Wisconsin native was asked about his comments from the 2019 championship game.

"I'm really big into speaking things into existence," Kittle said. "What a better time than right [after losing to the Chiefs] to say that. It took a couple of years. But, hey, here we are back.

"I think the vengeance is just the best of my ability. Every single play."

Fans call out George Kittle for his Super Bowl 58 performance

The Niners were handed the opportunity to mark their revenge at Allegiant Stadium yesterday, but a meek surrender saw the Chiefs defend their crown. George Kittle could not live up to his words, receiving two catches for four yards.

Fans were quick to lash at the 49ers tight end, with many calling out Kittle for not impacting the big game.

His performance earned him comparisons with "Casper the Friendly Ghost," as users on X tore into him online. Given his interest in WWE, many suggested George Kittle should take pro-wrestling more seriously following the defeat.

George Kittle was largely under-utilized on Sunday and will have to wait for his Super Bowl success. The five-time Pro Bowler had a rather productive 2023 season with the San Francisco 49ers, with 65 catches for 1020 yards in the regular season, averaging a career-best 15.7.

The postseason saw his numbers drop, with eight catches for 112 yards as San Francisco fell short at the final hurdle.