San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey traded shoulder pads for USA gear this week, making an appearance at the Olympic Games in Milan to support Team USA men's hockey.
The duo was in attendance for the quarterfinal matchup between the United States and Sweden, a tightly contested battle that ended in a 2-1 overtime win for Team USA. With the victory, the Americans advance to the semifinals and remain in the hunt for gold.
Both Kittle and McCaffrey were shown on the broadcast, smiling in the crowd and soaking in one of the most electric atmospheres in sports: Olympic hockey.
The moment quickly made its way across social media.
Kittle Called the Hype
If you've listened to "The Kittle Things," you might not be surprised Kittle made the trip.
During a December episode, Kittle sat down with longtime friend and Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg, who represents Sweden internationally.
"Olympic hockey is going to be electric," Kittle said during the episode. "For USA-Canada, the puck drops and there's three fights in the first 10 seconds... now we want more!"
Forsberg noted that the excitement around international matchups has continued to grow, especially following the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off championship game in Boston, where Team USA fell 3-2 to Canada in overtime.
And in a bit of full-circle irony? Team USA defeated Forsberg's Sweden squad in the quarterfinals and will advance to Friday's semifinal. Canada has also advanced, setting up the potential for a rematch if both teams reach the gold medal game.
Football's Growing Olympic Connection
The crossover between football and the Olympics is only getting stronger.
Flag football is set to debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, marking a major step in the sport's global expansion. 49ers players have already been part of that momentum, with reports earlier this year linking Kittle and McCaffrey to high-profile international flag football events as the game continues to grow worldwide.
For now, though, the focus was on the ice, where two 49ers stars showed up to support Team USA in one of the most intense environments in sports.
