The Seattle Seahawks picked up a late wrinkle to account for only hours before facing one of the NFL’s hottest offenses.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is dealing with an illness but remains expected to suit up Sunday, per a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco also reported Kittle is expected to be available for the NFC West matchup at Lumen Field.
Kittle has quickly regained his place near the center of San Francisco’s offense after returning from the Achilles injury he suffered last postseason. He heads into Week 5 with 16 catches for a team-high 244 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Kittle Has Been Rolling Before Seahawks Matchup
Kittle’s status is worth keeping up on because of the production he has delivered over the past three weeks.
His latest splash came in San Francisco’s 24-14 win over the Denver Broncos, when Kittle turned a screen into a 56-yard touchdown. It was his longest reception since 2023, and he reached 19.84 mph on the play, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s breakdown of the score.
Seattle also knows what Kittle can do within Kyle Shanahan’s offense, even though it kept him relatively quiet in the teams’ most recent regular-season meeting. Kittle finished with five receptions for 29 yards in Seattle’s 13-3 victory over San Francisco on Jan. 3, via his official 49ers game log. He later missed the playoff rematch between the NFC West rivals.
The illness adds a different question for Sunday: how much work Kittle can handle. There has been no indication San Francisco plans to restrict him.
His availability matters even more because fullback Kyle Juszczyk will be out after suffering a knee injury against Denver. Maiocco reported that the 49ers elevated Jack Stoll from the practice squad, with San Francisco expected to use its tight ends in multiple spots to absorb some of Juszczyk’s responsibilities.
That could place additional emphasis on Kittle’s versatility as a receiver and blocker.
Seahawks Defense Gets Chance to Answer Kittle’s Praise
Kittle made clear how highly he views Seattle’s defense.
“I don’t know what their weak link is on defense,” Kittle said this week while discussing the Seahawks. He also praised Seattle’s defensive backs for their willingness to attack downhill and described the front as aggressive, comments detailed in Heavy’s earlier look at Kittle’s assessment.
The numbers support some of that admiration. FOX Sports ranked Seattle first in total defense and passing defense through Week 4. The Seahawks were surrendering 246.8 total yards and 144.8 passing yards per game.
Kittle is one of San Francisco’s clearest answers to that approach. He can create yards after the catch, contribute in the run game and give Brock Purdy a target in the middle of the field when outside windows tighten.
Seattle handled Kittle well in January. Sunday brings a different version of the matchup, with the tight end scoring four touchdowns through four games and the 49ers arriving unbeaten.
The Seahawks now know he will enter it under the weather.
Barring a late change, they should still expect to see No. 85 on the field.
Seahawks Get Sudden George Kittle Update Hours Before 49ers Game