George Kittle’s heartfelt goodbye to 49ers lost in 2023 NFL free agency

Kittle posts heartfelt goodbye to 49ers lost in free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

While the 49ers were able to re-sign some of their players headed toward free agency, plenty of others have left on reported contracts with opposing teams.

It’s all part of the business, but saying goodbye never gets easier for the athletes — something George Kittle showed Friday with a touching Instagram post.

Along with the heartfelt caption, Kittle posted several photos with his former 49ers teammates who will play on different teams in 2023: right tackle Mike McGlinchey (Denver Broncos), quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (Las Vegas Raiders), safety Jimmie Ward (Houston Texans), offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill (Tennessee Titans), cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (Detroit Lions) and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (Titans).

A handful of other 49ers won’t return, either, including defensive end Samson Ebukam (Indianapolis Colts), defensive tackle Maurice Hurst (Cleveland Browns), defensive end Charles Omenihu (Kansas City Chiefs) and defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway (Texans).

But luckily for Kittle and his 49ers teammates who weren’t on the market this offseason, there are plenty of players they’ll welcome back in 2023, like center Jake Brendel and safety Tashaun Gipson.

There’s no denying some of the 49ers’ key contributors, whether it be starters or depth pieces, will be wearing a different uniform from here on out.

RELATED: Why Hargrave found 49ers’ free-agency pitch ‘shocking’

Thanks to players like Kittle and the rest of San Francisco’s returning core, along with a few key additions, there’s still plenty to be excited about.

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