49ers' Injury Nightmare: Kittle and Jennings Face MRIs After Narrow Seahawks Win
San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle (hamstring) will have an MRI within the next 24 hours to determine the severity of his injury, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Kittle got hurt in the first half of Sunday’s 17-13 win over the Seahawks. Jake Tonges stepped up in Kittle’s absence, catching the game-winning touchdown pass with 1:34 remaining. Further clarity on a potential recovery timeline for Kittle will come after the MRI. If he sits out against the Saints in Week 2, Kittle will have missed at least one game for a seventh consecutive season.
Here are more news stories from the 49ers week 1 victory over the Seahawks, courtesy of RotoWire:
Jauan Jennings: Will Get MRI on Shoulder
Jauan Jennings (shoulder) will have an MRI within the next 24 hours to determine the severity of his injury, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Jennings got hurt in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 17-13 win over the Seahawks, after catching two of five targets for 16 yards. He had been battling an unrelated calf injury heading into the game. The banged-up wideout’s status for Week 2 against the Saints should gain some clarity once the results of the MRI become available.
Christian McCaffrey: Racks Up 142 Yards From Scrimmage
Christian McCaffrey (calf) handled 22 carries for 69 yards and nine receptions for 73 yards on 10 targets in Sunday’s 17-13 win over the Seahawks.
McCaffrey shook off any concerns from popping up on the injury report late in the practice week by handling 31 combined touches in a tight victory over a division foe to kick off the regular season. Newly-acquired backup Brian Robinson (9-33-0) was the only other back to receive a carry outside of CMC.
The 49ers didn’t have the luxury of taking a cautious approach with its star running back after Kittle Jennings both left Sunday’s contest due to injury. McCaffrey could continue to see extra work as a receiver if either of his banged up teammates are forced to miss next Sunday’s road matchup against the Saints.
Brock Purdy: Finishes Strong to Earn Win
Brock Purdy completed 26 of 35 pass attempts for 277 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while taking five carries for 17 yards in Sunday’s 17-13 win over the Seahawks.
Purdy really had to earn this victory after losing Kittle early in this contest, followed by a second-half departure of Jennings. The lack of a supporting cast was highlighted on Purdy’s game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, when he dialed up Tonges in the back corner of the end zone. The 49ers’ signal-caller had his share of struggles with a pair of untimely interceptions, the second of which he threw directly into triple coverage. The overall results were a net positive from a fantasy perspective, leaving Purdy as a mid-tier fantasy option heading into a Week 2 matchup the Saints next Sunday.
Ricky Pearsall: Leads Team With 108 Receiving Yards
Ricky Pearsall brought in four of seven targets for 108 yards.
Pearsall took on an expanded role after Kittle and Jennings did not return from their respective injuries suffered in Sunday’s victory. The 24-year-old Pearsall was up to the task, ripping off multiple big-chunk plays en route to his first 100-yard game of 2025.
The University of Florida product was already expected to have a breakout season entering his second year, but he could be asked to do even more if either Kittle or Jennings is forced to miss time. Pearsall will attempt to build off of this promising start when the 49ers take on the Saints next Sunday.
Packers Star Xavier McKinney Unfazed by Controversial Taunting Flag Against Lions
Early in the second quarter of Sunday’s showdown with the Lions in Green Bay, Packers star safety Xavier McKinney did something so many players in the history of the league have done before him. He blocked an opponent to the ground, and subsequently stood over him.
The opponent was Kalif Raymond, and neither he nor McKinney was involved in the play, which saw Kiesean Nixon push lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs out of bounds. But as Raymond got up to engage in a minor confrontation with McKinney, something odd happened. A flag came in and McKinney was whistled for a 15-yard penalty on a pretty innocuous play.
The play was was unusual to say the least, and met with much disdain by fans on social media. but it is part of the new “respect for opponents” emphasis the league has enacted this season. It didn’t hurt the Packers in their 27-13 drubbing of the Lions, but it could have.
Xavier McKinney ‘Probably’ Did Taunt
McKinney admitted after the game that he did stand over Raymond, and did not seem too concerned about it. The Lions ended up with a field goal on the drive.
“I probably did,” McKinney said when asked about standing over Raymond. “But hey, it is what it is. I had to set the tone not just for our team but for our defense of how we want to play. I’ll take the flag, I’ll live with it, it’s all right.”
LaFleur was livid with the officiating crew when the play unfolded. After the game, he was being diplomatic but clearly disagreed with the call. When he was first asked what he saw on the play, he shot back at a reporter, “What did you see?”
But he went on: “Worst case scenario, they should’ve been offsetting (penalties). But they saw it differently.”
Packers Known They Must Keep Composure
Still, the league has made plain its attempts to clean up unsportsmanlike behavior on the field, and even sent a memo to each team to hammer home the point last month. LaFleur said his team is aware of the point of emphasis.
“We’ll definitely address that again. We can’t do that,” LaFleur said. ‘We’ve got to be better than that. Football is an emotional game, and I understand. I love these guys getting excited about playing. There’s a lot of stuff that goes on on the field, but you’ve got to keep your composure and your poise, especially when you’re playing a really good football team.”
McKinney added: “Going forward, I’m going to toe the line. If I get a flag, I’ll learn from it, but I’m going to toe that line. Obviously, I’m a smart player so I understand when I can and can’t do it, but this type of game, I had to set the tone and that’s just what it was. And we’ll live with it.”
