The San Francisco 49ers are among the teams opening training camp this week, as rookies are making their way to the SAP Performance on Tuesday. The 49ers’ veterans will join the rookies next Tuesday (July 22).
With the rookies arriving at camp a week earlier than the rest of the team, it allows head coach Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the coaching staff to get them comfortable and up to speed for what will take place over the next several weeks.
49ers fans are excited to see what this rookie class can do, especially the defensive guys, who have a chance to make an immediate impact. However, it was just revealed that one San Francisco rookie will reportedly be sidelined to start camp.
49ers Rookie QB Kurtis Rourke Expected to Start Training Camp on NFI List
On Tuesday, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported that rookie quarterback Kurtis Rourke is expected to be placed on the NFI (non-football injury) list with a knee injury. It's currently unknown how much time he'll miss.
The 49ers’ rookies report to training camp today. QB Kurtis Rourke (knee) can be expected to be placed on the non-football injury list.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) July 15, 2025
The former Indiana Hoosiers standout reportedly underwent revisional surgery earlier this year after playing with a torn ACL last season. Even though he was playing with an ACL injury, Rourke had one of the better seasons in college football and helped the Hoosiers get into the postseason.
The 24-year-old Rourke completed 69.4 percent of his passes for 3,042 yards, 29 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Rourke’s performance last season caught the eye of the 49ers’ brass, who took him in the seventh round in the 2025 NFL draft.
With Rourke starting camp on the NFI list, it allows fellow 49ers signal-caller Tanner Mordecai the opportunity to build his case on why he should be the QB3 this season. Mordecai reportedly did not look good in spring workouts, so he needs to have a good training camp and preseason.
If San Francisco doesn’t activate Rourke off the non-football injury list by the roster cutdown deadline later this summer, he will be required to miss the first four games of the 2025 regular season. The 49ers might be okay to do that, especially if Mordecai doesn’t step his game up and go into the regular season with two active QBs on the 53-man roster.