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San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is officially inactive for Sunday night’s Week 17 game against the Chicago Bears, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 49ers later confirmed the call in their finalized inactive list ahead of kickoff.
Kittle entered the weekend listed as questionable while dealing with an ankle injury, but the pregame decision went the wrong way for San Francisco in a game with major NFC playoff implications.
Key details:
Matchup: Bears at 49ers (Week 17, Sunday Night Football)
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET
TV/streaming: NBC (streaming on Peacock)
Where: Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California)
George Kittle is inactive vs. Bears after ankle issue lingered all week
The inactivity confirms what was trending earlier Sunday, when reports indicated Kittle was “highly unlikely” to suit up. Kittle did not practice at all this week because of the sprained ankle.
On the official inactive list, the 49ers also listed several other players out, and confirmed wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is active after being questionable.
What it means for the 49ers offense (and the tight end room)
With Kittle out, San Francisco’s tight end depth becomes one of the biggest storylines of the night, especially in primetime against an 11-4 Chicago team.
NBC Sports reported Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges are the other tight ends on the 53-man roster, and the team also elevated Brayden Willis from the practice squad ahead of the game.
The big-picture pressure point: this isn’t just losing a Pro Bowl-level target; it’s losing a key piece of how San Francisco stresses defenses in the middle of the field and in the red zone. And in a game that could swing seeding, the margin for error shrinks fast.
The big-picture pressure point: this isn’t just losing a Pro Bowl-level target; it’s losing a key piece of how San Francisco stresses defenses in the middle of the field and in the red zone. And in a game that could swing seeding, the margin for error shrinks fast.
With Kittle sidelined, the 49ers’ offensive identity doesn’t totally change — but the stress points do. Kittle isn’t just a target; he’s a matchup problem who forces linebackers and safeties into uncomfortable decisions on play-action and third downs. Without him, San Francisco may lean more heavily on wide receivers in the short-to-intermediate game, while also using backs and motion to manufacture the kind of easy completions Kittle often creates naturally.
For fans tracking this from a fantasy angle, the biggest shift is that the “tight end volume” becomes more spread out, making it harder to project a single replacement as a lock. That also means the Bears can focus coverage differently in key situations, particularly near the goal line.
If you’re just tuning in late: this is the Sunday Night Football game, so it’s the primetime window, and it’s one of the biggest regular-season spots left for both teams as the playoff picture tightens.
Why this matters tonight: playoff seeding pressure is real
This is a crucial NFC matchup, with both teams entering 11-4 and jockeying for positioning. NBC Sports added that San Francisco’s path to the No. 1 seed hinges on winning Sunday night and then beating Seattle in Week 18.
That’s why Kittle’s inactive tag is more than a routine injury note; it’s a game-plan-changing update in a spot where every drive matters.
What’s next for San Francisco
Even before the final whistle Sunday, the schedule pressure is obvious: the 49ers close the regular season next week vs. the Seattle Seahawks (Week 18). If Kittle’s ankle responds well, that one becomes the immediate next checkpoint.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Anderson is also the host of The Rip City Pod on The I-5 Corridor, where he dives into the stories and personalities shaping the Portland Trail Blazers. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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