49ers' George Kittle shows some fancy footwork on 48-yard touchdown

SEATTLE -- Already known for his ferocious run-after-catch ability, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle brought out the fancy feet for his second touchdown of Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks.

With 1:48 left in the second quarter and the Niners leading 17-14, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo rolled to his left and hit Kittle on a short crossing route. Kittle darted to the sideline and managed to maneuver down the field without stepping out on his way to a 48-yard touchdown to give the Niners a 23-14 lead.

Absent star receiver Deebo Samuel, the 49ers turned to Kittle to provide their primary offensive punch. The 48-yard touchdown was Kittle's fifth catch and second score of the day as he went to halftime with 121 receiving yards.

The touchdown was the longest reception of the season for Kittle, who now has seven receptions of 40-plus yards since 2018, second most in the NFL in that span. Kittle now has five receiving touchdowns in his past five games, the most in a five-game span in his career.

Kittle's big first half also allowed him to join Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller as the only two tight ends over the past five seasons with 100 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in a first half.

In a bizarre string of events after halftime, the Seahawks marched down the field, but tight end Gerald Everett bobbled a pass from Russell Wilson, resulting in a 49ers interception for K'Waun Williams.

But three plays later, Garoppolo was sacked in the end zone by Carlos Dunlap II for a safety, tying the game.