Nick WagonerDec 23, 2025, 05:52 PM ET

CloseNick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In over a decade with the company, Nick has led ESPN’s coverage of the Niners’ 2019 and 2023 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick’s protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam’s subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team’s relocation and stadium saga.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After Monday night’s win against the Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle wasn’t sure the extent of his left ankle injury but he did suggest he’d avoided a high ankle sprain.

On Tuesday, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that is indeed the case, as Kittle is dealing with a “mid to low ankle sprain.”

“I don’t think it’s a high ankle sprain,” Kittle said after the game. “We’ll take it one day at a time and we’ll go from there.”

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For Kittle and the Niners, that is certainly a much better outcome than a high ankle sprain, which likely would have kept him out for at least the next two weeks. San Francisco is 11-4 and can earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs by winning its final two games at home against the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks.

Kittle suggested he injured the ankle early in the game when he was brought down by what he perceived as a hip drop tackle. He taped the ankle up and continued to play through it before leaving the 48-27 win against the Colts for good midway through the third quarter.

Kittle was in the midst of a big game, posting seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown when he exited. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the ankle kept stiffening up, which ultimately made it hard for Kittle to return.

Earlier Tuesday, Kittle earned his seventh career Pro Bowl nod. His status for Sunday night against Chicago is likely to be monitored on a day-to-day basis, as the Niners have a short week following a long road trip for a Monday night game.