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49ers Announce George Kittle News on Friday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Dec 26, 2025 5:55 PM ET

George Kittle was forced to exit the San Francisco 49ers’ 48-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Monday. The two-time All-Pro tight end had to leave the game after sustaining an injury in the third quarter. Kittle limped off the field and was unable to return due to what was later diagnosed as a low-to-mid-grade left ankle sprain.

Kittle finished the contest with seven catches for 115 yards and one touchdown, marking one of his best performances of the season thus far. It ended on a sour note, though, with Kittle being forced to watch the remainder of the game on the bench.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) leaves the field after the game against the Indianapolis Colts.© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

San Francisco improved to 11-4 after taking down the Colts. This was the Niners’ fifth straight win, and they are still in hot pursuit of the NFC West division title with two more games remaining in the regular season. The 49ers are currently just behind the 12-3 Seattle Seahawks. They also share the same record with the Los Angeles Rams, but the Niners hold the tie-breaker against their divisional rivals.

Kittle was unable to practice on Wednesday and Thursday due to his ankle issue, which cast serious doubt on his availability for the Niners’ next game. This comes in the form of a crucial Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears on Sunday as San Francisco continues to fight for the top seed in the division.

The Niners released their injury report on Friday, and they have announced that Kittle is officially questionable to play against Chicago.

49ers are listing TE George Kittle and WR Ricky Pearsall as questionable for Sunday night’s game against the Bears.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 26, 2025

As the report from ESPN's Adam Schefter indicates, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is also questionable to play. The 25-year-old missed the Colts game due to ankle and knee injuries, and Pearsall is now in danger of sitting out his second straight game on Sunday.

The Niners will host the Bears in Week 16, with kickoff from Levi's Stadium scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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