SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Meet us in West Virginia.
How’s that for an odd phrase when it comes to a 49ers’ game plan, in the ever-odd year of 2020?
That is the 49ers’ prescription for tight end George Kittle, who will miss only the fourth game of his career Sunday, when they play without their injured All-Pro against the New York Jets.
The 49ers are leaving Kittle behind to undergo rehab on his left-knee sprain as they head back east for a 10-day trip. He is to join them next week at The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, where they will bunker before their Week 3 game at the New York Giants.
“If it was just the normal person, we probably would have ruled him out earlier in the week, but we never do that with George,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “If he’s not going to play, better to leave him here for rehabs. He’ll meet us in West Virginia. These two days will help him and hopefully he’ll be ready to go next week.”
Kittle did not practice this week because of his knee injury in the 49ers’ 24-20 opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He played all but one snap, that being the one immediately following the hit he took from safety Budda Baker on a red-zone incompletion.
Shanahan said the 49ers will deploy their other three tight ends: Jordan Reed, Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner.
Reed had two catches in a 10-snap cameo, his first action since the 2018 season with Washington. Shanahan said he figured to ramp up Reed’s workload this week, adding: “It doesn’t change much with George out. We can give him a couple more opportunities.”
Fullback Kyle Juszczyk said of Kittle’s absence: “It’s just a good reminder nothing comes easy in this league. What we did last year wasn’t easy. We had to grind every week. There were times George wasn’t out there and Ross Dwelley had to step up. It’s something we have experience with. We’ll look to the next guy and expect them to take care of business.”
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