George Kittle believes the San Francisco 49ers have nobody to blame but themselves after suffering their first loss of 2026. San Francisco fell 29-20 to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, with Brock Purdy also refusing to make excuses.
The defeat ended San Francisco's perfect 6-0 start, exposing costly mistakes that overshadowed another promising offensive performance.
Speaking after the game, Kittle identified four turnovers as the biggest reason the 49ers failed to remain undefeated.
“Four turnovers, hard to win football games,” Kittle said in a postgame video shared by Greg Auman.
The veteran tight end explained that San Francisco's frustration began before halftime, particularly after wasting opportunities near Atlanta's end zone.
“Thought at halftime, I think we were just disappointed in ourselves for having turnovers in the red zone,” Kittle said.
San Francisco initially built a 14-3 advantage before Atlanta fought back. The Falcons eventually converted the 49ers' four turnovers into 13 points.
Purdy threw two interceptions, while rookie running back Kaelon Black lost a fumble. Kittle also fumbled during San Francisco's final possession, ending another potential scoring opportunity.
Atlanta safety Jessie Bates III contributed an interception and forced Kittle's late fumble. His game-changing defensive performance helped the Falcons secure their third victory.
Article Continues BelowKittle acknowledged that San Francisco still had opportunities to win despite those mistakes.
“Still had a chance at the end. It's just not good football,” he admitted.
The 49ers enter their Week 8 bye at 6-1, giving them time to address their turnover problems.
Despite the disappointing result, Kittle believes San Francisco remains capable of competing, provided the team eliminates costly mistakes in crucial moments.

