San Francisco 49ers face decision as Canadian QB Kurtis Rourke recovers from broken ribs

Photo courtesy: Terrell Lloyd/San Francisco 49ers.

The San Francisco 49ers will have to make a decision on Kurtis Rourke’s future based on just a quarter and a half of game film.

The Canadian quarterback did not dress for the Niners’ preseason finale on Thursday night against the Las Vegas Raiders, just as he missed their matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers the week prior. Earlier this week, head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that Rourke was expected to return to team activities only after the final exhibition contest.

“He’s close this week. Probably won’t go tomorrow or Thursday, but should be good after that,” he told reporters.

Rourke started  San Francisco’s first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on August 13, completing 12-of-14 pass attempts for 101 yards and rushing three times for 14 yards. The 25-year-old led an 11-play, 68-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, but was forced to exit the game with a rib injury immediately afterwards.

The Oakville, Ont., native was taken to hospital as a precaution after experiencing difficulty breathing, but was later discharged. Shanahan revealed for the first time on Tuesday that Rourke broke three ribs in the game, which is why he has yet to practice since.

The six-foot-four, 220-pound passer started training camp as San Francisco’s third-string quarterback behind starter Brock Purdy and backup Mac Jones. He was in a competition with Adrian Martinez, who has since appeared in all three preseason games, completing 36-of-68 passes for 346 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, while rushing eight times for 35 yards and one major.

If Rourke is able to make his return on time, the Niners will have just a couple of practice sessions to make their final determination on the quarterback room before final cuts have to be made on Sunday, August 30, by 6:00 p.m. EDT. Either Rourke remains on the 53-man roster despite the limited reps, or he will need to be waived, which would expose him to claims from 31 other NFL teams before a practice roster spot could be offered.

San Francisco has invested significantly in Rourke, who they selected in the seventh round during the 2025 NFL Draft. He missed his entire rookie year with a torn ACL suffered at Indiana University, a sunk cost that the team understood when drafting him. It remains to be seen whether a second training camp lost to injury will soften their commitment.

The 49ers finished third in the NFC West standings in 2025 with a 12-5 record. They are scheduled to open the 2026 season on Thursday, September 10, when they play the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.