Overview
- ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Kittle sustained a mid-to-low ankle sprain, confirming the tight end avoided the more severe high-ankle diagnosis he feared postgame.
- Kittle said the injury came on what he believed was a hip-drop tackle with his ankle caught in the turf, and Kyle Shanahan noted the joint kept stiffening, preventing a return.
- Before exiting the Week 16 win over Indianapolis, Kittle posted seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.
- There is no firm timetable for his return, with Fowler adding Kittle “has a chance” to play Sunday night depending on how the week goes and with practice participation set to guide decisions.
- San Francisco is 11-4 and hosts Chicago on Sunday night in a playoff-seeding push, with Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges the next options at tight end if Kittle is unavailable.