San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle missed their second consecutive practice as the team prepares to host the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday. This marks the first of back-to-back division matchups in a short span, with the 49ers scheduled to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field next Thursday.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Thursday and provided an update on the status of the two star players. While the coach remains hopeful, he doesn't yet sound confident about their availability for this weekend.
"Neither practiced today," Shanahan said. "They were out there for walkthrough and stuff. So, I mean, still not sure yet. They haven't been good enough to go today, which is never fun. So, hopefully, they'll get better here over the next couple of days."
Shanahan emphasized that practice this week isn't necessarily required for Warner or Kittle to play on Sunday.
"They're two guys that, if they don't practice, they're still two guys who can definitely play on Sunday," Shanahan said. "So, hopefully, they'll get there."
On Wednesday, Warner expressed optimism about playing against the Cardinals.
"My plan is obviously to play," Warner said. "That's my hope. I'm just going to continue to listen to what the training room wants me to do and take it one day at a time."
You can listen to Shanahan's entire interview below.