Is George Kittle playing today? 49ers TE's status revealed for Cardinals clash

George Kittle is one of the many offensive weapons the 49ers have on their roster but there are doubts whether he will be available to face the Cardinals on Sunday. The tight end is a valuable part of the team and his importance has been even more elevated this season with Christian McCaffrey battling a lingering Achilles issue, Brandon Aiyuk looking rusty after missing the offseason, and Ricky Pearsall yet to feature after a shooting incident left him injured right before their first game.

Because of that, George Kittle has had to play through some pain over the last few weeks. He was doubtful in Week 3 with a hamstring injury and eventually had to sit out the game. That lingered into Week 4 as well. He was limited in practice for much of the week but participated in full practice at the end and played against the Patriots, scoring a touchdown.

Is George Kittle playing today?

If 49ers fans were hoping that this was the end of his injury concerns, they are mistaken as he is questionable to take the field against the Cardinals. He is recuperating from a rib injury now and did not practice for two days this week. George Kittle resumed on Friday but that too was limited practice.

Therefore, unlike Week 4 when he featured in the game after a full practice on the last day before the game, he has not had the same luxury in Week 5. But with the 49ers sitting at 2-2 and needing a win to get back to a winning record, one expects that the tight end will be forced to play through the pain against the Cardinals.

Kittle, per new reports, is expected to play on Sunday.

How to watch San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona Cardinals in Week 5?

The Cardinals and the 49ers meet in a crucial NFC West matchup. Last year, San Francisco ran away with the NFC and was the conference's representative in the Super Bowl. Many expected them to repeat that this year.

But because of injuries to key players like George Kittle at inopportune moments, the 49ers are now 2-2 and second in their division. A loss for them against the Cardinals would tie both teams at 2-3. A win, however, would put San Francisco back on top with a 3-2 record if the Seahawks also lose their game in Week 5.

Therefore, both sets of players and coaches would be up for this game. The details are given below for fans to follow the action.

• Day and Date: Sunday, October 6, 2024
• Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
• TV Channel: FOX
• Location: Santa Clara, California
• Venue: Levi’s Stadium
• Live stream: FuboTV

Their divisional rivals, the Rams and the Seahawks, kick off 20 minutes after them against the Packers and the Giants, respectively, in what promises to be some defining hours for the NFC West.