It sounds like San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was a fan of the Ryan Gosling-led Project Hail Mary, one of the biggest movies of the year, as he referenced it while playing against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend.
The NFL posted a mic'd-up video from the game. He approached Brandon Dorlus and asked if he had seen Project Hail Mary, referencing Rocky not knowing how to give a thumbs up.
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Kittle then saw fans dressed up as aliens in the stands. One of the 49ers' coaches pointed out, “There's a thing here they call A-T-L-iens.” He was amused by this, responding, “We learn something new every day.”
George Kittle and the 49ers lost their first game to the Falcons
Heading into their game against the Falcons, the Niners were undefeated. However, they lost their first game of the year to the Falcons, who are now 3-4.
Kittle did his best, leading his team in receptions (eight) and yards (88). He also lost a crucial fumble. Christian McCaffrey wasn't far behind with six catches for 61 yards.
Article Continues BelowBrock Purdy had his worst game of the year, throwing for 288 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Coming into the game, he was in the MVP race. That might be a long shot after this performance.
Kittle is coming off a torn Achilles tendon suffered during a 49ers playoff game earlier this year. He has looked good, catching 34 passes for 425 yards and five touchdowns in seven games.
Throughout his career, he has made it to seven Pro Bowls and five All-Pros (two First-team and three Second-team nods). He has become a 49ers legend after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Iowa. The 49ers may not be undefeated anymore, but they are in the thick of the playoff race. They will have a chance to rebound when they host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10.