“There’s a high standard of performance [playing for the 49ers]… You have to come to work with the expectation that the standard is what it is, and if you’re not going to match that, you’re not going to play here,” Eric Saubert once said. That has come true for him this offseason. He has departed from San Francisco to land in Seattle, the eighth team in his NFL career. However, his stint with the 49ers was never about catching highlight-reel touchdowns. Signed in 2024, Saubert was supposed to compete with Cam Latu for the blocking tight-end role. But Latu, a third-round pick in 2023, faced challenges and was eventually released by the 49ers. And then, just like that, Saubert became the next player in line.

Ideally, it would have been nice to retain him. You see, though George Kittle will remain the starter next season, Saubert seemed like the perfect backup. But in a league where everything revolves around cap space and performance metrics, farewells are common and so George Kittle knew how to let his teammates feel the love and respect that he holds for them.

The 49ers celebrated Eric Saubert on Instagram, posting a farewell tribute featuring the veteran tight end in his No. 82 Niners jersey. The post was labelled as “THANK YOU ERIC.” George Kittle joined in as he reshared the post on his IG story and wrote just five words: “Your light is my torch @sawbee85.” It was a simple yet powerful message, a testament to the impact Saubert had on his teammates.

Similarly, Kyle Juszczyk also has a message for the TE. “We’ll miss you soldier,” he wrote under the 49ers Instagram post.