(KRON) — The death of political activist Charlie Kirk has sent shockwaves around the country, including the sports world. Even San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle was thrown into the conversation, regardless of whether or not he wanted any part of it.
This week, a post by Facebook page “Red and Gold Legacy” stated that Kittle, 31, made comments regarding Kirk’s death.
The post, falsely attributed to Kittle, reads, “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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Kittle responded by posting an Instagram story to his 1.6 million followers. The six-time Pro Bowl selection firmly wrote that the Facebook post was “a fake quote,” posting a screenshot of the Red and Gold Legacy post.
“Couple of things… this is a fake quote. I hope most of you realize that,” Kittle said on his story overnight Thursday. “Also, that above account only posts fake news/reports, please ignore them. The wild message I’m receiving from people made me have to address it. Have a good night.”
The Red and Gold Legacy Facebook page has since been taken down and no longer appears on the social media platform.
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Kittle’s 49ers teammate, Christian McCaffrey, was also attached to a fake quote regarding Kirk. A post by Facebook page “San Francisco 49ers Fans Forever” last Friday said that the star running back honored Kirk’s memory. “The values he stood for will live on, and I will honor his memory in every way I can,” the post read in part.
McCaffrey does not appear to have posted any response to the fake quotes attached to his name.
Kittle injured his hamstring in the 49ers’ Week 1 win in Seattle. He was placed on injury reserve (IR) shortly after and will miss at least the next three weeks. The 49ers have their home opener on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
