49ers QB Kurtis Rourke hospitalized after rib injury in preseason

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was hospitalized following a rib injury sustained during the team's preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night. The injury occurred in the second quarter, and Rourke was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation after experiencing difficulty breathing. Initial X-rays taken at the stadium did not reveal a fracture, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Rourke, a seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft, was making his professional debut after missing the entire previous season recovering from knee surgery. He had started the game and performed well, completing 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards and adding three rushes for 14 yards. His final drive culminated in a one-yard touchdown run by Patrick Taylor Jr. before he left the game.

Shanahan explained that Rourke was examined in the medical tent on the sideline before being taken to the locker room. "We were worried he was banged up on that draw," Shanahan said. "We were trying to look at him. We were yelling to him. He was saying he was fine. Then when he got to the sidelines after we scored, then they said they needed to take him in to look at a rib." At...