49ers’ Kyle Shanahan holding on to ‘chance’ George Kittle will play in Week 17

The San Francisco 49ers will be facing the Chicago Bears in Week 17, and it’s still uncertain if they will have one of their pass catchers on the field. George Kittle is dealing with an ankle injury, and he has not stepped on the practice field yet this week. He still has one day to do so, but head coach Kyle Shanahan has some hope that he’ll play, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

“Kyle Shanahan said Kittle does have a chance to play this week. It would not be the first time that Kittle plays without practicing if it goes that direction. We’ll see if he gets any work today. At this point, his status remains in question,” Pelissero said.

From @gmfb: The latest on T.J. Watt, George Kittle and Rome Odunze ahead of a big Week 17. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/K3Hm9lVZXW

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 26, 2025

Kittle dealt with an injury earlier in the season and had to miss some time, and he definitely doesn’t want to miss the final two games of the season. With the 49ers looking to secure a playoff spot, these games down the stretch are important, and it would be huge to get a win against a team like the Bears, who have played well this season.

Due to him missing time this season, Kittle’s stats don’t look like they have in the past two seasons, but he has still been effective on the field.

If Kittle isn’t able to play in Week 17, it shouldn’t hurt the 49ers as much, because they’ve dealt with so many injuries on offense this season and still found ways to win. They went weeks without Brock Purdy, and Mac Jones stepped up and handled business.

If Kittle does play, that adds a boost to the 49ers’ offense, and it does give them a better chance to win. As of now, it looks like it could come down a game-time decision on if he’ll suit up or not.

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