49ers' George Kittle recounts early-morning battle with giant spider

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle confronted a half-dollar-sized spider in his bathroom early Wednesday.

The 32-year-old player detailed the encounter on social media. "At 4 a.m. this morning, as I laid in a deep slumber, I was called to action by my wife, who had discovered a spider the size of a half-dollar in the bathroom. Without hesitation, I arose to combat the intruder," Kittle posted to X.

Kittle, who tore his right Achilles tendon in the playoffs, grabbed his rehab equipment to deal with the spider. "Claire handed me the slant board I’ve been using for rehab, and I immediately knew the spider had no chance. It took but 1 attempt to strike down my opponent. I received hugs and kisses for my bravery and fell back asleep with confidence. Have a day, gentlemen," he added, including a spider emoji.

Kittle suffered the injury during the 49ers' 23-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Wild Card Round. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said last month there’s a chance Kittle could play in Week 1, during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.

A return would strengthen San Francisco’s offense. The seven-time Pro Bowler has played nine NFL seasons. Last year, he appeared in 11 games with 57 catches for 628 yards and seven touchdowns. Overall, the two-time All-Pro has 595 receptions for 8,008 yards and 52 scores.