49ers quarterback hospitalized after struggling to breathe in first game in nearly 2 years

Kurtis Rourke's instrumentality to the gridiron could not person been overmuch amended — until it took a frightening crook late.

The San Francisco 49ers' third-string backmost got the commencement for the team's archetypal preseason crippled connected Thursday nighttime against the Tennessee Titans, and the erstwhile Ohio and Indiana backmost did not disappoint.

Rourke, a seventh-round prime successful Titans backmost Cam Ward's draught connected March of 2025, looked overmuch sharper successful his nonrecreational debut aft missing each of past play recovering from genu surgery, making Thursday his archetypal crippled since Dec. 20, 2024.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Kurtis Rourke No. 14 of the San Francisco 49ers rolls retired looking to walk against the Tennessee Titans successful the archetypal fractional astatine Levi's Stadium connected Aug. 13, 2026, successful Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

He went 12-for-14 for 101 yards with 3 rushes for 14 yards connected 3 drives, and his last possession ended successful a 1-yard TD tally by Patrick Taylor Jr.

However, Rourke near the crippled aft that thrust with a rib injury. X-rays were negative, but Rourke had occupation breathing and was taken to the hospital.

"They said ribs, helium was struggling to respire truthful they took him to the infirmary conscionable to cheque connected him and marque definite he’s alright. X-rays successful present didn’t amusement it was broken," caput manager Kyle Shanahan said.

Shanahan, though, did not look excessively acrophobic that it would beryllium a semipermanent issue.

Kurtis Rourke No. 14 of the San Francisco 49ers runs the shot during a preseason NFL crippled against the Tennessee Titans connected Aug. 13, 2026, astatine Levi's Stadium successful Santa Clara, California. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

CHIEFS LEGEND NOT READY TO SAY DYNASTY IS OVER DESPITE PATRICK MAHOMES' INJURY, TRAVIS KELCE'S FINAL DAYS

"They conscionable wanted to get much imaging and find out, truthful they weren’t excessively concerned. I don’t privation to downplay it but I don’t privation to overplay it either," helium said.

Rourke had played his full last assemblage play with a torn ACL, forcing him to acquisition country earlier the draft. He completed a career-high 69.4% of his passes for the Hoosiers, who won the nationalist title the pursuing play with Fernando Mendoza astatine the helm.

His 29 touchdowns were besides the astir of his career, and helium lone threw 5 interceptions.

Kurtis Rourke No. 14 of the San Francisco 49ers scrambles with the shot to the one-yard enactment against the Tennessee Titans successful the archetypal fractional astatine Levi's Stadium connected Aug. 13, 2026, successful Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Rourke remained connected the roster past twelvemonth with Brock Purdy and Mac Jones up of him. With the coaching helium has and the backmost country helium is in, it is nary wonderment wherefore Rourke impressed successful his unofficial NFL debut.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.