Week of August 3, 2026
4 stories
Season recap, August 3 - 9, 2026: the biggest stories of the week, curated from the original reporting. Not a complete daily record.
Niners NationArticle
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed he will coach the August 13 preseason opener against the Titans after missing the start of camp. His absence stemmed from a July 14 car accident in which he suffered a concussion, a broken nose, broken ribs, and a broken hand. Shanahan addressed the team as a group for the first time early in August and said he is still dealing with headaches and fatigue, but his workload reduction was expected to be temporary.
The SourceArticle
San Francisco brought back wide receiver Deebo Samuel on a one-year contract on August 1 after he spent the 2025 season with the Washington Commanders. The move came the same day the team placed Ricky Pearsall on season-ending injured reserve with a knee issue tied to a previous PCL injury. The signing was made as injuries thinned the receiver room, with Christian Kirk also sidelined by a calf strain and newcomer Mike Evans already on the roster.
Niner NoiseArticle
Rookie receiver De'Zhaun Stribling was one of the standouts of the first full week of camp, drawing praise from veterans including Mike Evans, though he later sat out with hamstring tightness that the team described as not a strain. Tight end George Kittle opened camp on the active physically-unable-to-perform list after tearing his Achilles in January's playoffs, but he was hopeful of returning by Week 1. Kittle also told reporters the locker room was not distracted by Brandon Aiyuk's reported desire to be released, and the team used the week to evaluate backup running backs Jordan James and Kaelon Black with Christian McCaffrey getting rest days.
ESPNArticle
The 49ers made a series of early-August moves around the edges of the roster. On August 5 they signed receiver KhaDarel Hodge and linebacker Ogbonnia Okoronkwo while releasing Kevin Givens and Cameron Sample, and on August 6 they signed lineman Kion Smith and waived receiver Colton Dowell. Earlier, on August 2, they signed running back Khalil Herbert and lineman Titus Leo while waiving veteran cornerback Eli Apple for the second consecutive summer.
