49ers TE George Kittle Has Broken Bone In Ankle

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, 49ers TE George Kittle‘s lower leg injury is a broken bone in his ankle. 

Kittle initially suffered the injury three weeks ago during the first quarter of a Thursday night game against the Cardinals. Kittle returned and played the rest of the game with the broken bone, but the injury has been too painful for him to play the past two weeks. 

While the ankle still hasn’t completely healed, Schefter says Kittle believes he feels well enough to return to the field Sunday night against the Packers. He’s officially listed as questionable ahead of the game. 

“This week, I think if it was a normal person, I’d probably make him doubtful,” 49ers’ HC Kyle Shanahan said. “But Kittle’s different than most people, and he won’t allow me to rule him out too early because he keeps telling me he’s going to surprise me by game day. We’ve got a little more time this week, and he’s a little bit ahead.”

Kittle, 26, is a former fifth-round pick of the 49ers out of Iowa back in 2017. He’s currently in the third year of his four-year, $2.69 million contract and set to make a base salary of $645,000 for the 2019 season.

In 2019, Kittle has appeared in eight games for the 49ers and caught 46 passes for 541 yards receiving and two touchdowns.