George Kittle hates to miss NFL games and workout days.
After all, the 49ers' All-Pro tight end revealed in January that he has been playing through a torn labrum since 2018. He said at the time that he has no plans to get surgery on his shoulder.
So it should come as no surprise that Kittle doesn't expect a fracture in his foot sustained on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks to keep him out that long.
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SIGN UP HERE In his opening remarks to the media Tuesday, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Kittle has a foot fracture and will go on the Injured Reserve list.
But when pressed for details about Kittle's injury, Shanahan revealed how long he was told Kittle would be out and also how much time the tight end thinks he will miss.
"I don't know the detail that you are looking for," Shanahan said. "I know it's something in his foot. It didn't show up on their X-rays, but whether on the MRIs or CT scan or something with a better resolution, it showed. It happened on that one play. I think they told me eight weeks. Kittle says two, but that's how he rolls. That's why he'll go on IR and if it's better than what they're saying, he’ll have a chance to come back this year, but eight weeks is eight weeks."
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Unfortunately for Kittle, if he is placed on IR, he will be forced to miss at least three weeks, per NFL guidelines.
With the injuries mounting for the 49ers (4-4), it makes sense for them to take a cautious approach with Kittle. While the 49ers are still in the race for a playoff spot, the schedule gets extremely tough, making it tougher for them to reach the postseason.
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The smart thing for Kittle is to take his time recovering from this injury, and if that means he misses the remainder of the 2020 season, so be it.