San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle didn’t need many words to express his feelings after the Seattle Seahawks hired away one of his position coaches, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
“Sad,” Kittle wrote Sunday on social media in response to news that the Seahawks had hired 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury as their new offensive coordinator.
Sad.
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) February 15, 2026 [2]
The move sends Fleury from San Francisco to an NFC West rival and reunites him in a division matchup against his former team.
The hiring was first reported on Sunday by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Kittle’s reaction came in response to a post by NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.
Fleury, 47, has been with the 49ers organization since 2019. He initially joined the team as a defensive quality control assistant before shifting his focus to the tight ends group. He has overseen the 49ers’ tight ends since 2022.
During that stretch, Kittle has remained one of the league’s most productive players at his position. The 32-year-old tight end has been selected to the Pro Bowl seven times in his nine-year NFL career, including this past season.
Spike City #ProBowlVote [3] George Kittle pic.twitter.com/KcL2u6kjl0 [4]
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 14, 2025 [5]
Despite playing in only 11 games this season because of hamstring and ankle injuries, Kittle recorded 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns.
He later suffered a season-ending Achilles tear during San Francisco’s wild-card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in January and underwent surgery.
Fleury now heads to Seattle to replace Klint Kubiak, who was hired earlier this month as the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Kubiak takes over for Pete Carroll.
Before entering the NFL coaching ranks, Fleury played quarterback in college at Maryland and Towson. His experience on the offensive side of the ball will now be tested in a new role, calling plays for the Seahawks.
The coaching changes ripple beyond the NFC West. In Las Vegas, the Raiders are coming off a 3-14 season and hold the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The team is expected to select Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana, the undefeated national champions, with the top pick.
Fleury’s departure marks another change for San Francisco’s coaching staff as the 49ers prepare for the upcoming season.
For Kittle, who has spent the past several years working closely with Fleury in the tight ends room, the move clearly stings.
George Kittle’s legendary catch and run on 4th & 2 with the game on the line https://t.co/2rUgX3HVOU [6] pic.twitter.com/TD71gqH4Qu [7]
— Coach Yac (@Coach_Yac) June 17, 2023 [8]