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The 49ers’ injury problems followed them all the way to Australia.
Tight end Jake Tonges suffered a knee injury during the second quarter of San Francisco’s season opener against the Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and was initially listed as questionable to return.
Tonges was attempting to block Myles Garrett when the play took an unusual turn. As the Rams star rushed past him, Tonges appeared to swing his leg around in a whip-kick motion intended to chip Garrett. The maneuver instead left Tonges crumpled on the turf.
He eventually was carted to the locker room, according to Ari Meirov, dealing another personnel blow to a 49ers team that already lost starting defensive tackle Alfred Collins to a torn patellar tendon during its week in Melbourne.
Tonges was not San Francisco’s first injury scare Thursday. Rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling exited earlier with an ankle injury. He was also carted to the locker room. The highly regarded rookie entered the season as a prominent Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
Losing Tonges for any extended period would test San Francisco’s tight end depth behind George Kittle.
Tonges became an important replacement when Kittle missed six regular-season games in 2025, catching 29 of 40 targets for 269 yards and three touchdowns during those weeks. He ran 200 routes over that span and earned a two-year, $8 million contract during the offseason.
Luke Farrell is the other tight end on the 49ers’ active roster.
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