George Kittle, the San Francisco 49ers star, reacted with excitement to the news of Folarin Balogun's red card suspension being lifted by FIFA on July 5, 2026.
What happened?
Balogun scored the U.S.'s opening goal in the 45th minute of its 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in the Round of 32, but was then sent off in the 64th minute for a bad challenge.
Why it matters for George Kittle
The decision to suspend the red card is thrilling news for Kittle, who hopes to see the USMNT continue its run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Kittle completed the ninth season of his career with the 49ers, shining bright as one of the best tight ends in the league, often making quality catches for touchdowns.
What comes next?
The 49ers finished with a 12-5 record in 2025, securing the fifth seed in the NFC bracket, and Kittle looks forward to helping the team make another case for Super Bowl contention ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
And Kittle is six months through his recovery from an Achilles injury, hoping to be back on the field soon and return to solid form for San Francisco.
The 49ers took down the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round.
In his 11 appearances in the 2025 season, Kittle made 57 catches for 628 yards and seven touchdowns.
Kittle's postseason ended early after he tore his Achilles in the Wild Card round against the Eagles.
The veteran tight end posted an edited photo of Balogun showing a reverse card to the referee who gave him the red card, expressing his excitement on social media.