Curtis Rourke’s Promising Start Disrupted by Injury

Curtis Rourke’s return to football could not have started better—until things took a worrying turn.

In the first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, the San Francisco 49ers’ third-string quarterback showcased his skills. Rourke, who had previously played for Ohio State and Indiana, didn’t disappoint fans. This marked his first game since suffering a knee injury last season, a period during which he underwent surgery and rehab.

Drafted in the seventh round in March 2025, Rourke’s debut was impressive. He completed 12 out of 14 passes for 101 yards and rushed three times for 14 yards, helping end one drive with a touchdown by Patrick Taylor Jr.

However, a rib injury sent Rourke off the field after that successful drive. Although initial X-rays revealed no fractures, he began experiencing breathing difficulties, which led to his hospitalization.

“They said it was a rib injury. He struggled to breathe, so we took him in just as a precaution. The X-rays here didn’t show any breaks,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan, although he seemed fairly optimistic about the seriousness of the issue.

As he noted, “They just wanted to take more images, and they weren’t overly worried. I don’t want to downplay it, but I also don’t want to overstate it.”

Rourke had already faced challenges, finishing his final college season with a torn ACL, which required surgery before the draft. His last season was noteworthy; he completed a career-high 69.4% of his passes and threw for 29 touchdowns against just five interceptions, contributing to his team’s national championship the following season.

Despite the chaos of his debut, Rourke remained on the team last season alongside teammates Brock Purdy and Mac Jones. Given the quality coaching and the level of competition in the quarterback room, it’s not hard to see why he made a strong impression in his first official NFL game.