San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle had some calf soreness following Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. That's not uncommon for Kittle, who plays very physically. Not only is the 49ers tight end a threat in the passing attack, but he may love blocking for running backs even more than catching Jimmy Garoppolo-thrown footballs.
Noah Fant just said George Kittle is best blocking tight end in league. #Iowa #9sports
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) September 29, 2021
The expectation was that Kittle would need a couple of days of rest before the 49ers started preparations for their Week 4 opponent — the Seattle Seahawks. However, Kittle did not practice today.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't sound overly concerned about the status of his All-Pro offensive weapon.
"I mean, he should be alright this week," Shanahan told reporters today. "Just sorer today than we expected, and we'll take it day-by-day now."
San Francisco will hold two more full practices this week. Tomorrow's practice might be key in determining Kittle's status, as the coaches typically run a slower-paced session on Fridays.
What happens if we don't see Kittle tomorrow or Friday? Shanahan was asked if his star tight end is the type of player who doesn't need to practice to play on Sundays.
"No, I don't think anyone's really like that," the Niners coach responded. "It helps everyone to practice but we're not giving George [the day] off just to get it off. George plays pretty physically. He gives everything he's got, and sometimes he's got a little wear and tear on him that takes a little longer to get it back."
Tomorrow's afternoon practice is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Kittle typically speaks to reporters on Thursdays, too, so tomorrow could offer a good deal of information about the tight end's status for this weekend.