The 49ers on Thursday finally got some good news on the injury front. Tight end George Kittle was back on the practice field wearing a blue non-contact jersey according to multiple reporters at the 49ers’ facility.
Kittle hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee and ankle on the first play of the team’s Week 9 win over the Cardinals in Arizona. He played the rest of that game and posted six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.
San Francisco lost their first game without Kittle the following week against the Seahawks. Their run game and passing attack both suffered without Kittle’s multifaceted skill set. They struggled out of the gates the following week against Arizona, and failed to run the ball with any effectiveness. While Jimmy Garoppolo wound up throwing for 424 yards and four touchdowns in a 36-26 win, Kittle’s presence in the passing game was sorely missed on plays designed to go down the field.
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A limited practice Thursday guarantees nothing for the tight end, and head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday said “it’s going to come down to the wire again” with Kittle. However, his return is a good sign, and another practice Friday will give a better indication of his status for Sunday night.
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