George Kittle's wife Claire reacts as 49ers TE named among Salute to Service Award finalists

George Kittle was one of the few bright spots for the San Francisco 49ers in a very rough 2024 season. He led the team in receiving, was named an All-Pro, and made a fourth straight Pro Bowl.

And now he could receive a fourth accolade: the Salute to Service Award, which according to the league "acknowledges the exceptional efforts by members of the NFL community to honor and support U.S. service members, veterans, and their families." He was named a finalist on Thursday, and his wife Claire (nee Till) responded simply, sharing the link in an Instagram Story:

Claire Kittle reacts to husband George getting another career nomination

The other two finalists are Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones and Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Morgan Fox. The recipient will be determined at the NFL Honors ceremony during Super Bowl week.

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George Kittle's connection with newly-debuted WWE Superstar Penta, explained

On Monday's episode of Raw, internationally acclaimed professional wrestler Pentagon Jr. made his WWE debut under the name Penta, defeating Chad Gable via pinfall. And as it turns out, he and George Kittle share an intriguing connection that goes beyond the "Cero Miedo" gesture that both of them use.

Back in 2018, as the offseason was beginning, the tight end, a very notable wrestling fan, attended some indie shows sometime before WrestleMania 34. It was there where he first met Penta and developed a liking for him, as he recalled in a 2023 interview:

“I watched him wrestling three or four different times over the course of that week. I was instantly drawn to his swagger and demeanor, how he drew love from the crowd. He was an exciting watch and when I was able to meet him, I learned that he is an awesome human being as well – I admire his Cero Miedo mindset.”

Pentagon would also speak highly of him almost two years later in the build up to Super Bowl LIV:

“It is an honor that an athlete like George would do that during a game. I have a lot of respect for him as an athlete, and even more as a person since we became friends.”

In 2022, when the 49ers were playing the Arizona Cardinals in Penta's home country of Mexico (they would win 38-10), Kittle received a red-and-gold mask from him during warm-ups. (He had also arrived at Estadio Azteca in a different but similarly-colored mask.)