Dallas Cowboys fans have had 44 years to get over Dwight Clark leaping into the January sky at Candlestick Park, and many still haven’t. That 1982 NFC Championship touchdown, which sent the San Francisco 49ers past Dallas and launched a dynasty, is the original wound in this rivalry. Now George Kittle, the 49ers tight end who plays the position with Clark’s fearlessness, has shared his honest opinions about the Cowboys fans.
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“Cowboys fans, they go through it a lot. Either be there for them or kick them when they’re down. And make fun of them even more,” Kittle said on The Kittle Things. “It builds character. I think that mild bullying needs to be reintroduced into society. Not aggressive.”
“If they don’t kick your legs out from underneath you once in a while, you can get way too big of an ego. You can think you’re way too cool. You don’t want yes men. You want people who will immediately say, that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard. Are you just an idiot? They’re usually worse words than that. But you need friends like that.”
Kittle’s point was that a little ribbing keeps people grounded: he argued that friends who knock you down a peg now and then, and tell you when an idea is dumb, are the ones who stop your ego from getting out of hand. He believes the Cowboys fans need friends like this.
Kittle has been part of the 49ers-Cowboys rivalry for ten NFL seasons, since San Francisco drafted him in 2017. In that time, he has often drawn attention by trolling Dallas.
Take the viral October 2023 moment, for example. During a 42-10 Sunday Night Football blowout in Week 5, Kittle caught a career-high three touchdowns. After a fourth-quarter score by teammate Jordan Mason, he lifted his jersey to show a gray undershirt reading “F*** Dallas” over a Cowboys star logo.
Kittle explained the shirt paid tribute to former 49ers linebacker Gary Plummer, who wore a matching shirt during the 1994 NFC Championship Game against Dallas. He had kept a photo of Plummer’s shirt on his phone for years before having custom versions made for the entire tight end room.
However, the league didn’t really entertain Kittle’s actions. The NFL fined him $13,659 for “use of abusive language” on his uniform. The 49ers tight end expected the fine and noted that it was worth it. That was one of several moments that made his dislike of the Cowboys plain to see.
Given the Cowboys’ 2026 season, Kittle’s comments land at a rough time for Cowboys Nation. Dallas stands at a 4-5 record with the defense leaking points. Meanwhile, Kittle and the 49ers boast a dominating 7-1 record halfway through the season.
Kittle will face the Cowboys in Week 10, and it will be interesting to see whether he can improve on his 4-1 record against Dallas, a mark that gives him some cover while he trolls his rival.