By Dianna Russini, Vic Tafur and Matt Barrows
San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle will miss at least four games, as the team is placing him on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, a league source said on Tuesday.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Kittle would miss at least a few games after being forced out of Sunday’s season-opening win over the Seahawks in Seattle. The 49ers visit the New Orleans Saints on Sunday before home games against the Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars and a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on a Thursday night.
By placing Kittle on IR, the 49ers will avoid the temptation to bring him back on a short week to face the Rams. He will be eligible to return Oct. 12 for the Week 6 game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Meanwhile, wide receiver Jauan Jennings is day to day after scans on his injured shoulder came back clean, a league source said. He could play Sunday against the Saints.
Kittle, whom Shanahan said was the focal point of the game plan against the Seahawks, had four catches on four targets for 25 yards and a touchdown before pulling up after run blocking early in the second quarter.
Backup Luke Farrell, whom the 49ers signed from the Jaguars for three years and $15.75 million for his blocking prowess, had a 4-yard catch on fourth-and-2 in the third quarter. Then Tonges — who did not have an NFL regular-season reception entering Sunday — had three catches for 15 yards on the game-winning drive, including a snag on a pass that he thought Purdy might have been throwing away, which wound up being the game-winning touchdown.
“Those guys stepped up big, man, especially to end it with the game winner,” Shanahan said.
Kittle, who turns 32 next month, has missed eight games over the past four seasons, including two last year with an ankle injury. He was poised for a huge 2025 season, given that he was in great shape, had great timing and rapport with Purdy and that the 49ers are down a couple of receivers, if not more.
Practice squad tight end Brayden Willis is a likely candidate to fill Kittle’s spot on the 53-man roster. Mac Jones, who could start against the Saints with Brock Purdy battling toe and shoulder injuries, had a good rapport with Willis during training camp.
(Photo: Joe Nicholson / Imagn Images)
