49ers don’t rule out Trent Williams or any others ahead of Seattle showdown

SANTA CLARA – Left tackle Trent Williams still might play in the 49ers’ regular-season finale Saturday night against Seattle. And he might not.

“We’ll see,” Williams said Thursday after not practicing all week because of the first hamstring strain of his illustrious career.

The NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed will be on the line at Levi’s Stadium, and no 49ers got ruled out on the injury report. Williams is questionable, as are tight end George Kittle (ankle), wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle), defensive lineman Keion White (groin) and nickel back Upton Stout (concussion).

“It’s definitely huge to have everybody on board that’s capable,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.

Shanahan is viewing this as a playoff-type game since a win could deliver a bye in next week’s wild-card round. So, to him, the stakes are big and potentially worth risking a worse injury to Williams, a 12-time Pro Bowler.

“If Trent and the doctors OK it, and Trent believes he can get through it, then there’s no decision on my part and I’ll definitely have him up,” Shanahan said.

Williams got injured on the first play of Sunday night’s 42-38 win over Chicago, when he tried to prevent a pick-six and pursued at 17.5 mph, according to general manager John Lynch. Williams joked Thursday that it was actually 17.6 mph.

If Williams is deactivated, that would put Austen Pleasants in line for the first start of a journeyman career that began in 2020. Pleasants acquitted himself well once Williams exited Sunday night.

Neither running back Christian McCaffrey (back) nor fullback Kyle Juszczyk (hip) are on the final status report and are fully expected to play. Shanahan did not call for any full-speed practices all week, in part to help injured players recover but also because this will be the 49ers’ third game in 13 days.

SEAHAWKS INJURY REPORT

Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross (hamstring) is out a third straight game and his backup, Josh Jones, is questionable with ankle and knee injuries.

Wide receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed is cleared to play after a concussion sidelined him last game. Safety Coby Bryant (knee) is doubtful.

JENNINGS’ RANT REVISITED

Jauan Jennings’ nine touchdown catches have him one away from becoming the first 49ers wide receiver with at least 10 since Terrell Owens in 2002. Jennings has scored in each of the past five games, making it seem like ancient history when he and Shanahan engaged in a sideline shouting match Oct. 12 in Tampa Bay.

“He was competitive. He was frustrated he didn’t get the ball, and I was frustrated he was frustrated,” Shanahan said. “We’ve been with each other long enough to know that will work out, let’s quit making a big deal about it. We got in a little heated argument on the sideline, got a lot better at halftime, we made up the next day and haven’t had any argument since.

“Actually that was a good argument. Sometimes you have to blow things up a little bit for things to get better. That was a really good interaction that only led to positives since then,” Shanahan said. “… I probably could have done a better job ignoring it and staying away instead of joining in and fighting with him. That was a little immature of myself but there were things bothering me.”

KUBIAK BROTHERS

Brothers Klay and Klint Kubiak will square off as opposing offensive coordinators for the second time, with the 49ers and Seahawks having opened the season against each other.

Klint. 37, is the Seattle play-caller, while Klay, 36, does game-planning and preparation while Shanahan does the actual play-calling and design. Klay took on his title this season, but Shanahan said his role has been unchanged since Klint was also on staff in 2023.

“Klay’s been doing the exact same thing since ’23,” Shanahan said. “Klay does not get enough recognition. It’s nothing against anyone else but he’s as good as anyone I’ve had and is responsible for just as much if not more of the game plan as myself.”

The Kubiaks aren’t divulging much about whatever sibling rivalry may exist; their father, Gary, coached the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans.

“We talk about surface-level stuff,” Klay Kubiak said. “We’re not sharing secrets or anything like that, but we talk about just how life’s going, how work’s going, relationship stuff that involves football.”

Klint Kubiak joked with Seattle media that there has been “radio silence” between the brothers this week. Really? Nothing at all? “Happy New Year, Merry Christmas maybe,” Klint said. “For sure with this game, less is more, You don’t want to say the wrong thing.”

Staff writer Jerry McDonald contributed to this report