Is George Kittle Playing Today vs. Bears? | Final Injury Update for Sunday Night Football

Is George Kittle playing today? After some hope he would play tonight against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), the San Francisco 49ers tight end has been ruled out tonight for this SNF matchup kicking off shortly.

Kittle suffered a sprained ankle six days ago in a win over the Indianapolis Colts in prime time, and he was a long shot to play in this Week 17 matchup at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. We break down the latest George Kittle injury update and how it impacts our NFL Week 17 predictions.

🤔 Is George Kittle playing today on Sunday Night Football?

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George Kittle will not play tonight on Sunday Night Football, according to the official injury report released by the 49ers shortly before kickoff.

From the moment Kittle sprained his ankle last week in that blowout win over the Colts, he was facing an uphill battle to play just six days later in a heavyweight clash between two 11-4 teams with eyes on the top seed in the NFC.

The veteran tight end didn't practice all week, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Saturday night that Kittle will test his ankle pregame to see if he can gut it out in a crucial game for the Niners' chances of an NFC West title run and potential home-field advantage through the NFC bracket.

Then came the report from ESPN's Adam Schefter this morning that Kittle was "highly unlikely" to play tonight against the Bears in a critical spot for both the 49ers and fantasy football championship contenders worldwide:

Kittle posted arguably his best game of the season last week against the Colts, finishing with seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown before exiting late with that ankle injury. He missed six of San Francisco's first seven games with injury, but he's averaged six catches for 72 yards with a combined six scores in his last eight games.

With Kittle ruled out tonight, the 49ers turn to backup tight end Jake Tonges to assume a larger role on Sunday Night Football. The former undrafted free agent has already made an impact for San Francisco this season, hauling in 27 catches for 233 yards and four touchdowns with nearly all of that coming with Kittle sidelined earlier this year.

Kittle's absence could also open the door for longtime 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who is featured in our anytime touchdown scorer predictions for Sunday Night Football.

📺 How to watch Sunday Night Football: Bears vs. 49ers

• Date: Sunday, Dec. 28
• Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. ET
• Location: Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
• TV: NBC

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• George Kittle injury update
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