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49ers QB Kurtis Rourke hospitalized for rib injury

By Thomson Reuters Aug 14, 2026 | 10:45 AM

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was taken to the hospital after sustaining a ​rib injury during Thursday night’s ‌preseason opener.

The second-year signal-caller experienced difficulty breathing after completing 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards in the 19-13 ‌loss ​to the visiting ⁠Tennessee Titans.

“They said ⁠ribs, he was struggling to breathe so they took him to the hospital just to check ​on him and make sure he’s all right. X-rays in ⁠here didn’t show ⁠it was broken,” 49ers coach ​Kyle Shanahan said. “They just wanted to ​get more imaging and find out, ‌so they weren’t too concerned. I don’t want to downplay it but I don’t want to ⁠overplay it either.”

San Francisco drafted Rourke in the seventh round (227th overall) in 2025 ⁠out ‌of Indiana. He did ⁠not see any regular-season action ​for ‌the 49ers last season.

Rourke, ​25, is ⁠competing with Adrian Martinez for the No. 3 quarterback spot in San Francisco behind incumbent starter Brock Purdy and backup Mac Jones.

–Field ​Level Media