The 49ers encountered unexpected surprises on Sunday with tight end George Kittle and linebacker Dre Greenlaw listed as active but conspicuously absent in street clothes on the sideline at kickoff. Head coach Kyle Shanahan shed light on the situation, revealing that both players were dealing with minor ailments that led to the precautionary decision to keep them out of the game.
In addressing the setbacks, Shanahan explained, “No, they definitely were trying to go, but Kittle’s having some back spasms. So once that was happening in pregame, we shut him down. Dre had some Achilles tendonitis, so that was acting up a little bit more before the game. We had heard about it, and once we heard that, we were safe with him.”
While issues with the back and Achilles are concerns, Shanahan assured that the decision to sideline them was primarily precautionary. Looking ahead to the team’s bye week, which includes a couple of practice days, the extent of Kittle and Greenlaw’s participation remains uncertain. However, the fact that their absences on Sunday were precautionary suggests a positive outlook for their availability in the upcoming playoff opener, underscoring the team’s prioritization of their health over Week 18 appearances.