San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan delivered some tough news to reporters regarding the status of tight end George Kittle, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury. Although there had been hope that Kittle could return as early as Week 6 against Tampa Bay, Shanahan confirmed that a return for next Sunday is a “long shot,” with Week 7 against Atlanta being the more realistic target.
“It’s frustrating, of course,” Shanahan said, clearly disappointed by the delay in Kittle’s recovery. “We were hopeful that we could get him back next week, but the reality is, it’s going to take a bit longer. We want to make sure George is fully healthy before he steps back onto the field. Week 7 is more likely, but we’re still hoping he can get back sooner.”
Kittle, one of the 49ers’ most important and dynamic players, has been a game-changer on offense. His absence has been felt, especially in a crucial stretch of the season, and Shanahan acknowledged how much the team is missing his impact.
“It’s tough not having George out there,” Shanahan continued. “He’s a huge part of what we do, and we know how much he means to this offense. But right now, we have to focus on getting him healthy, and that’s the priority. We’ll take it week by week, but his health comes first.”
Shanahan’s words reflect the cautious approach the team is taking with Kittle’s recovery. While the tight end’s return has been anticipated for a while, the 49ers are determined to avoid rushing him back too soon, especially given the nature of hamstring injuries, which can often lead to setbacks.
“We’re all frustrated, but we’re focused on what’s best for George,” Shanahan said. “Once he’s ready, we know he’ll be back to making an impact. Until then, we’ll keep supporting him and working with him to get back to 100%.”
As the 49ers prepare for their upcoming games, the team will continue to monitor Kittle’s progress, hoping for a speedy and full recovery. While Week 7 is the target, Shanahan’s hope remains that Kittle can return to form and help push the 49ers towards their playoff aspirations. For now, the team’s focus is on staying competitive while waiting for their star tight end to heal properly.
Colts Give Raiders’ Maxx Crosby Blunt Message Before Week 5 Game
The Las Vegas Raiders need to focus on shutting down the Indianapolis Colts‘ run game. By doing so, they can force starting quarterback Daniel Jones to carry the offense through the air.
If the former New York Giants quarterback needs to make more passes than expected, the Raiders‘ pass rush could make things uncomfortable for him. In Week 4, the Los Angeles Rams picked off Jones twice and also recorded two sacks.
Despite losing to the Chicago Bears, Maxx Crosby showed he can impact a game by himself, especially early on. If Crosby has his motor going, that will be the key to making Jones uncomfortable, which could lead to sacks and potential turnovers.
Ahead of the Week 5 game, Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter stated that his unit will have their hands full preventing Crosby from wrecking their game plan.
“I don’t have enough words in my vocabulary to describe it,” Cooter said (h/t
Raiders.com). “[Crosby is] a force on the field; he’s one of the best players in the league. He has been for several years; he’s an excellent, excellent football player.
“He plays just about every single down of the game, and he plays at maximum intensity every single down he’s out there; he competes to and through the whistle.”
Colts Are Up for the Challenge of Facing Raiders’ Maxx Crosby
Despite having a significant amount of respect for Crosby, Cooter states that his offensive group are ready for the challenge that comes with facing an elite pass rusher.
If we weren’t playing against him, he’s a pleasure to watch play football,” Cooter added. “He’s just a great, great football player. But we are playing against him this week, so we’re excited for the challenge and we’re aware of the challenge.
“Like I said, he’s one of the best players in football for a reason, and I think our guys are excited to go up against him. But yeah, it’s impressive to watch him fly around and make plays and defeat blocks and make sacks and interceptions and fly over the top of piles or around blocks or swim blocks. He’s got a lot of different tools at his disposal for wreaking havoc.”
Raiders’ Pete Carroll Talks Facing Daniel Jones
Las Vegas will need to take note of what the Rams did and try to mirror it on defense to make things tough for Jones again. Raiders head coach Pete Carroll outlined what the defense must do to put Jones in another difficult spot.
“The new guy is Daniel Jones in this thing, and he has really thrived with the people around him in the system that they’re running,” Carroll said. “[Shane Steichen is] doing a great job getting him off to a fantastic start.
“I know his confidence is high. He got roughed up a little bit last week with a couple of picks, but they have seemed to put it together really well, and they’ve been wide open, which is why they’ve caught people off guard…
“We’re going to try to make it hard on them. They have used their play-action game so extensively, more than maybe anybody in the NFL, right at the top. That’s been a real benefit to them because of Jonathan Taylor being back there.”