There is uncertainty on how serious Kittle’s injury is, and there should be more clarity after some tests, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
“Generally, when a player is ruled out, that indicates a major injury. I’m not so sure here,” Rapoport said. “George Kittle is going to undergo an MRI, and certainly, this can be the 49ers being cautious, knowing that it is Week 1 of 17, knowing that he is one of the best players. He wanted to stay out of injury trouble, the fact that he remained on the sidelines and remained in uniform.”
From @GMFB: Injury updates on #49ers TE George Kittle, #Falcons WR Drake London and #Vikings S Harrison Smith for tonight. pic.twitter.com/jokPmU6Bkt
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 8, 2025
With the 49ers already dealing with some injuries on offense, losing Kittle was big, but Brock Purdy was able to make things happen without him. One of the key players who stepped up in the win was Christian McCaffrey, who many didn’t know would play after being on the injury report with a calf injury.
Nonetheless, McCaffrey did what he always does and helped get a big division win for the 49ers. The only hope now is that tests come back clean for Kittle.
49ers dealing with injuries on offense
Not only did Kittle go down with an injury during the game, but Jauan Jennings also left the game with a shoulder injury. It’s not certain how serious Jennings’ injury is as well, and if he’ll have to miss time or not. If that’s the case, the 49ers will have to continue their next man up mentality, which shouldn’t be a problem if Purdy continues to distribute the ball at a high level.
As long as McCaffrey is on the field, this offense still has a chance to make plays on the field. His ability to come out of the backfield and also catch passes is big, and he’s hard to stop because of his speed. Ricky Pearsall also had a nice game and led the team with 108 receiving yards.
It’s just Week 1, and you never want to see players go down early, but if anybody has to miss some time, the 49ers may still be in good shape.
