Kittle to miss another game
The 49ers won’t allow their AllPro tight end, who has a lowerleg injury, to play Sunday on the same surface on which they had six players suffer lowerleg injuries the previous Sunday. Yes, big surprise. The 49ers ruled out George Kittle for Sunday’s game against the Giants at MetLife Stadium, which has a new turf field that has been a major topic of conversation this week. The 49ers’ injury toll from their 3113 win over the Jets at MetLife included defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas, who suffered seasonending torn ACLs.
Kittle (knee), who was injured in the season opener Sept. 13, returned to practice as a limited participant this week. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said conversations with Kittle, whom he has noted is regularly pushing to play through injuries, convinced him to keep him sidelined for another week.
“Just talking with Kittle and kind of seeing where he was at — felt it was a lot safer to leave him out,” Shanahan said. “Didn’t need to wait another day because of how he sounded today.”
Secondary concern: Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who is subbing for Richard Sherman (calf ), is questionable for Sunday because of a tight hamstring that developed Thursday. Shanahan said Witherspoon “tweaked” his hamstring.
Witherspoon, who was limited in Friday’s practice, would be replaced by Jason Verrett if he can’t play. Verrett returned to practice Wednesday after he was out with a hamstring injury he suffered Sept. 2.
Verrett has missed 60 of his past 66 games because of leg injuries. He made his last start Sept. 11, 2017, with the Chargers.
“We’re very confident in Jason,” Shanahan said. “He had a really good week of practice and he had a real good (training) camp before he hurt his hamstring.”
The 49ers also will be without linebacker Dre Greenlaw (thigh), who will be replaced by Azeez AlShaair.
Mullens the man: What was widely assumed became official: Quarterback Nick Mullens will start in place of Jimmy Garoppolo on Sunday.
Garoppolo didn’t practice this week, which is what Shanahan said was the likely scenario when he spoke with reporters Wednesday. Garoppolo suffered a high ankle sprain against the Jets.
Mullens, 25, will be making his first start since Dec. 30, 2018, which was the last of eight straight starts he made in a season in which Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL in Week 3. Mullens became the first 49ers QB to throw for 220plus yards in eight straight starts since Joe Montana did so in nine straight over the 1985 and 1986 seasons.
Samuel update: Shanahan indicated wide receiver Deebo Samuel would be taken off shortterm injured reserve next week, but didn’t commit to him playing against the Eagles on Oct. 4.
Samuel was placed on injured reserve before the regular season after he began experiencing pain in the foot he broke in mid
June. Samuel has been with the team in West Virginia this week working on a side field during practice.
“He looks real good running routes and he’s been able to do it without pain,” Shanahan said. “So I expect to get him back next week. Whether that means the game on Sunday, I don’t know. That’s stuff that I don’t even think about until I see how he looks” next week.
Surface acceptance: Shanahan expressed confidence players wouldn’t have to overcome mental hurdles about playing on MetLife’s new field after last Sunday’s rash of injuries on the surface.
The NFL inspected the field this week and said it meets the league’s standards.
“It was a big deal to us on Sunday and Monday,” Shanahan said. “But turf ’s not good in general. I don’t care where it is. Everyone knows that there is about 30% more injuries on turf than there is on grass. So it’s an issue everywhere you go.
“We understand it’s new turf. So usually brand new turf is a little bit worse than all the other bad turf. It just needs to be broken in. So our players understand that. The NFL has done everything to check it out. It is what it is. It’s just another turf field.”