George Kittle officially out for 49ers vs Jets

George Kittle will not play against the Jets.

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t look like the defending NFC Champions in Week 1, and part of that was due to the fact several key members of their vaunted roster were injured either before or during their game against the Arizona Cardinals. 49ers fans assuming that a monster performance from superstar tight end George Kittle could get them back on the right track will have to wait at least one more week.

Kyle Shanahan has confirmed that Kittle will not suit up for a Week 2 matchup against Sam Darnold, Adam Gase, an equally banged-up New York Jets team, citing a recurring knee injury.

George Kittle was dominant before getting hurt against the Arizona Cardinals

Kittle racked up four catches for 44 yards against the Cardinals before an errant Jimmy Garoppolo pass allowed a Cardinals defender to get a free shot at Kittle’s leg, hobbling him and eventually sidelining him. Without Kittle, the passing game struggled, and that lack of offense keyed a Kyler Murray comeback that left the 49ers with an 0-1 record to start the season. Jordan Reed, who caught two passes for 12 yards in Week 1, is the leading candidate to get Kittle’s reps.

Shanahan did try to soften the blow by claiming the Kittle will report to San Francisco’s makeshift practice field in West Virginia in order to prepare for a Week 3 clash against the New York Giants. Considering the Jets’ lackluster pass defense and injuries at linebacker, Kittle’s chance to use that defense as a springboard that could jump-start another All-Pro 2020 season has evaporated due to his health.

Both of these teams will go into their Week 2 matchup missing several key offensive pieces. Even with Kittle on the sidelines for a week, San Francisco’s superior infrastructure should allow them to absorb this blow for one week and move on.