For the second day in a row, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle didn't practice with a groin injury that began bothering him during Monday's practice. And when the Niners signed tight end Troy Fumagalli to the practice squad Wednesday, that was the first hint that Kittle could miss time.
During his tenure as the 49ers' head coach Kyle Shanahan has been adamant that his players practice on Thursday to play on Sunday's game. Kittle, of course, isn't any player. He doesn't need to practice to play.
Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network reported that Kittle has a Grade 2 groin strain that's limiting his top-end speed:
One source characterized Kittle’s status as being fluid but emphasized the groin injury is “not good,” adding that it would be optimal for him to rest and rehab for a week or two.