NFL FINES 49ERS TIGHT END JAKE TONGES OVER LEG WHIP BLOCK

The National Football League has fined San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges $9,266 for unnecessary roughness during the team's Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams. The league's Week 1 accountability report cited a leg whip block by Tonges on Rams defensive end Myles Garrett in the second quarter. San Francisco won the game 27-7. Tonges did not return to the field after the play and remained down. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said this week that Tonges suffered a torn MCL on the play that required season-ending surgery.

Officials did not flag the block for a penalty at the time, and the 49ers used the following play to gain 12 yards on a run by wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Injury analyst Jeff Mueller described Tonges' leg movement during the play as an odd mechanism involving a whipping motion into extension. Garrett stayed on his feet and was not injured on the play. The NFL also fined 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk $20,033 in the same report, for lowering his helmet to initiate contact. Tonges is now out for the remainder of the season following surgery.

Tonges' injury adds to depth concerns at tight end for San Francisco, with George Kittle continuing to manage a limited workload as he recovers from injury sustained last season. Tonges stepped into the starting role when Kittle was sidelined last year and went on to sign a two-year, $8 million contract extension with the 49ers. In last season's playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks, he recorded five catches for 56 yards. San Francisco's offence still includes wide receivers Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey, along with quarterback Brock Purdy.