(KRON) — The news of Charlie Kirk’s death has resonated across the nation and even impacted the sports arena. One of the athletes brought into this controversy was George Kittle, the prominent tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, who didn’t quite ask to be part of the discourse.
Recently, a post circulated on a Facebook page d “Red and Gold Legacy” claiming that Kittle had made comments about Kirk’s death.
The now-infamous post wrongly attributed chilling statements to Kittle, purportedly saying, “I love football because it unites people. But lately, I’ve seen politics being dragged into it far too often. Charlie Kirk may matter to some, but he has no place in the NFL. Football is for the fans, the competition, and the love of the game — not for politics.”
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In response, Kittle took to Instagram to clear the air with his 1.6 million followers. He firmly labeled the Facebook post as “a fake quote,” sharing a screenshot of the misleading post for clarity.
“A couple of things… This is a fake quote. I hope most of you realize that,” Kittle insisted in his Instagram story from Thursday night. “Also, the account mentioned only shares fake news/reports, so please ignore them. The wild messages I’ve been getting prompted me to address this. Have a good night.”
The Facebook page “Red and Gold Legacy” has since been removed and is no longer accessible on the platform.
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Kittle’s fellow 49ers teammate, Christian McCaffrey, also found himself the subject of a fabricated quote regarding Kirk. A post from another Facebook group, “San Francisco 49ers Fans Forever” claimed that McCaffrey paid tribute to Kirk’s legacy, stating, “The values he stood for will live on, and I will honor his memory in every way I can.”
As of now, McCaffrey has not publicly addressed the false quotes attributed to him.
It’s worth noting that Kittle is currently on the injured list after suffering a hamstring injury in the 49ers’ opening game against Seattle. He’ll be sidelined for at least three weeks, with the team’s next game at home this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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