Week 1 of the 2026 regular season proved to be a double-whammy for San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges. Despite his team winning against the Los Angeles Rams 27-7, Tonges not only sustained a knee injury during the game that ended his season prematurely, but also incurred a penalty imposed by the league.
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After reviewing game footage, the league issued a heavy $9,266 fine on Tonges for “unnecessary roughness” for the disastrous leg whip against Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett, according to the Week 1 accountability report.
During the second quarter, with a little over two minutes left on the clock, Tonges went down on the ground and lifted his leg, which looked like an “odd mechanism with whipping into extension,” according to injury analyst Jeff Mueller. Garrett escaped the hit and stayed on his feet.
While executing the illegal block, Tonges ended up overextending his leg, which led to him tearing his MCL and needing to be carted off the field. The substation was, unfortunately, not at blame here.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the injury needed surgery and confirmed that Tonges was out for the year.
Unfortunately for the Rams, officials did not penalize the move at the time of the play, allowing Niners wide receiver Deebo Samuel to set up a 12-yard run right after.
On a more immediate level, Tonges’ injury has created concerns over the Niners’ roster depth, since George Kittle is still recovering from injuries sustained last season and is operating with a limited workload. Tonges stepped in for an injured Kittle last year and secured a new two-year, $8 million extension as a reward.
With the main tight end already at risk and the deputy tight end out for the season, the 49ers have a reason to worry. The offense still has playmakers in Mike Evans, Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey. Quarterback Brock Purdy can add some rushing gains of his own, too. But the passing attack would have been resolute with both Kittle and Tonges in full health.
Kittle last played a full season in 2018. Having Tonges in the backup was crucial for San Francisco, and he ended up tallying 56 yards for 5 catches in last season’s playoff game vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Bleacher Report’s Brett Sobleski deemed Tonges the 49ers’ “best-kept secret” for this season. Sadly, he will no longer enjoy that distinction, now that he is out for the season.
The 49ers have made adjustments at tight end to bolster depth. TE Brayden Willis has been activated from the practice squad, and veteran TE Jack Stoll signed to the practice squad. The tight end depth also has Luke Farrell and rookie Khalil Dinkins to rely on.
Interestingly, Tonges wasn’t the only Niners player penalized for his aggressive conduct on the field.
49ers Fullback Also Gets Penalized After Week 1 Game
Kyle Juszczyk’s contribution to the Niners’ victory over the Rams also came at a steep price. The veteran fullback was fined a whopping $20,033 for unnecessary roughness and use of the helmet during the third quarter of the game. The fine is one of the highest ones announced for Week one; only the $23,027 imposed on Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs surpasses Juszczyk’s fine.
Per the league, the fullback’s move was caught during Christian McCaffrey’s 14-yard run early in the third quarter.
San Francisco was flagged with only two penalties for 21 yards in this game, while the Rams tallied four penalties for 43 yards. The latter’s Tyler Davis and Nate Landman were also penalized in the Week 1 report.
This is not Juszczyk’s first run-in with this flag. He has been penalized twice before for helmet usage in the playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. There was another helmet-related penalty on him in the Arizona Cardinals game last year. All three flags amounted to $36,907 in fines.
Juszczyk remains a force for the 49ers in the backfield, and continues to play at a high clip even at 35 years old. He stepped in big time for the 49ers after they were brought down by injuries on the offense, and is playing the last year of the two-year extension he signed in 2025.
Fortunately for the 49ers, they will have the veteran fullback resuming action this Sunday in the Week 2 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Much to everyone’s delight, the Niners will play this one at home.