Kurtis Rourke Has Three Broken Ribs And Does Not Play Tonight
The X-ray taken at Levi's Stadium on August 13 found nothing broken. The imaging done at the hospital that night found three, and Kyle Shanahan said so twelve days later. Rourke misses the preseason finale at Las Vegas, which leaves Adrian Martinez alone in the third quarterback competition on the last night anybody gets to watch. Also: two 49ers are candidates to open the season on injured reserve, the starting right guard is most likely back in the concussion protocol, and the roster is due Sunday at 3:00 p.m. PT.
Kurtis Rourke broke three ribs in San Francisco's preseason opener on August 13. Kyle Shanahan said so on Tuesday, twelve days later, per David Bonilla at 49ers Webzone.
The account that stood until then said something else. Rourke left the Tennessee game in the second quarter, went to the locker room with the medical staff, and was taken to hospital at halftime because he was struggling to breathe. Shanahan, that night: "X-rays in here didn't show it was broken or anything, but you know, we'll see what we find out tomorrow." Rourke was released from the hospital before morning, and the club's injury lists carried him as a rib for the next eleven days.
He does not play Thursday at Las Vegas. The third quarterback job was one of the few things this game was going to settle, and it now gets settled with one man on the field. Adrian Martinez threw the rest of the Tennessee night after Rourke left, threw at the Chargers on August 20, and takes the finale alone.
Two men are candidates to start the season on injured reserve. Shanahan, asked directly on Tuesday whether Christian Kirk was one: "Possibly." Asked immediately afterwards about Vederian Lowe, he said yes. That designation costs a player the first four games at minimum, and it only works for somebody who makes the initial 53 first, so a Kirk or Lowe decision Sunday spends a roster spot rather than saving one. "We've got a number of guys like that," Shanahan said, "so we've got to just see how that pans out here over the next few days."
Dominick Puni is most likely back in the concussion protocol. The starting right guard cleared it, returned to practice Tuesday, and reported residual symptoms afterwards. He is the second of San Francisco's five projected starting linemen to be unavailable this week.
Left guard is Connor Colby and Carver Willis, and the coach said the game decides it. From the club's own Day 17 recap: "It's close to being decided, and it needs to be close. Today is the second-to-last day that we'll get to evaluate. We'll get it on the game." Robert Jones is still part of that competition on Shanahan's own account and has a calf. He does not play Thursday either.
Nick Bosa returns to practice next week, if he returns. Shanahan: "Hoping that he can get into practice next week and we'll see how those three days go after the mandatory three days off." Bonilla has the injury as tendinitis in the surgically repaired knee; the club's Tuesday list says soreness. Both accounts are on the record and neither has replaced the other.
Next week is after the cut. Jacob Cowing's groin, Upton Stout's hip flexor and Mike Evans's groin all carry the same return window, which lands past Sunday afternoon. Evans plans to play in Week 1 regardless, per Jeremy Fowler at ESPN on August 26, who called the groin minor barring a change.
George Kittle has practised twice since coming off the physically-unable-to-perform list. Both times in non-competitive periods only: routes on air, work with the quarterbacks and the offensive line. Rejoining team drills is next week's question.
Malik Mustapha did individual work on the side Tuesday. The second safety job beside Ji'Ayir Brown is open and Marques Sigle has been taking it.
Transactions. San Francisco signed defensive lineman Jah Joyner to a one-year deal Thursday at 11:12 a.m. PT and placed Victor Dimukeje on injured reserve to make room, per the club's release. Joyner is 25, out of Minnesota, and entered the league as an undrafted free agent with Las Vegas in May 2025. Dimukeje signed here ten days ago. A player placed on injured reserve before the cutdown cannot play this season, so that is his year.
Kickoff at Allegiant Stadium is 5:00 p.m. PT. Then three mandatory days off, then the roster on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. PT, then three practices before the flight to Melbourne.
Sources: David Bonilla, 49ers Webzone, August 25 and August 26; the 49ers' own Day 17 training camp recap, August 25; the club's roster release, August 27; Will Simonds, NBC Sports Bay Area, August 13; Jeremy Fowler, ESPN, August 26.
