Fresh off their first loss of the season, the San Francisco 49ers are once again going to be without their top receiving threat.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced on Wednesday that Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle will miss this week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The record-breaking tight end missed Monday night’s thrilling overtime loss to Seattle with injuries to both his ankle and knee.
Kittle, 26, has put up 46 receptions for 541 yards in eight games this season. Struggling 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was completely lost without his top receiving target on the field in Week 10.
Even at 8-1 on the season, San Francisco is pretty much in must-win mode at home against the Cardinals. It boasts just a half game lead over Seattle in the NFC West.
Not having Kittle in the mix could end up hurting big time. He caught 6-of-8 targets for 79 yards with a touchdown in the 49ers’ narrow Week 9 win over Arizona.