Source: 49ers place Kittle on injured reserve with calf injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
PHOENIX -- Tight end George Kittle will be out of action for at least the next three 49ers games, as the club on Saturday placed him on injured reserve, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
Kittle did not practice Wednesday and Thursday due to a calf strain. He also did not practice a week ago but was cleared to play in the 49ers’ Week 4 game against the Seattle Seahawks. He played 70 of the 49ers’ 76 snaps against Seattle.
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After consultation with team doctors and getting additional opinions, the consensus was that Kittle would be bothered by the injury all season if he continued to try to practice and play. No surgical procedure will be required, the source said.
The source said Kittle thought he felt better this week. But when he went out to practice on Friday and went through rehabilitation and conditioning work, it was still painful and he felt "compromised."
The 49ers believe Kittle needs time on injured reserve to rehab, so that he can be healthy for the final 10 games of the season. He is required to miss Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals and the two subsequent games against the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears.
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The club expects Kittle to be available on Nov. 7 — the earliest date he can return — when the 49ers face the Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium, the source said.
The 49ers will make a corresponding move to fill Kittle's spot on the 53-man roster.
