The 49ers are heading into Thursday’s opener in Melbourne with two familiar names trending toward the field, but Kyle Shanahan isn’t interested in pretending either one is back to full speed.
George Kittle and Nick Bosa both appear set to suit up against the Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground, the site of the first regular-season NFL game in Australia. Still, Shanahan made it clear that availability and a normal workload are two different things.
“We got to be smart with that,” he said. “They both look great and stuff, but we also definitely have to be smart with that.”
Kittle’s path back has been a long one. He tore his Achilles in January against the Philadelphia Eagles and had surgery three days later.
The 49ers activated him off the PUP list in late August, and he has kept pushing toward a return that typically takes nine to 12 months. During the preseason, cameras even caught him and Mac Jones taking smelling salts on the sideline while Kittle was still on PUP.
Bosa’s road has looked different, but it has been just as delayed. He tore his ACL last September against Arizona, missed most of 2025, and then dealt with tendinitis during camp.
He finally got into 11-on-11 work on Sept. 2, the day the team flew out to Australia. That came late in the process, but it still sounds like enough for the 49ers to plan on having him available.
Raheem Morris removed any suspense from the defensive side.
“Nick Bosa, he’s going out there,” the coordinator said. “Whatever you want to say, he’s going.
He will be there. We’re not hiding that.”
The bigger issue now is usage. Bosa is expected to rush Matthew Stafford in some capacity, but the snap count is the real question. Shanahan’s caution applies there too, and it fits the broader approach around both stars.
Offensively, Klay Kubiak sounded encouraged by what he’s seen from Kittle.
“Kittle looks good,” he said. “He’s practicing full speed. He’s getting a ton of reps.”
Even with that optimism, Kubiak said he wanted two more practices before settling anything.
The buildup around Kittle has included a bit of confusion, too. Shanahan recently said Kittle had taken a step back, then clarified that the comment was about workload rather than any new injury.
Adam Schefter later reported that Kittle had a legitimate chance to play the Rams. NFL.com also tracked the same direction, with the official injury report saying Bosa will play and Kittle is trending the right way.
Brock Purdy called Kittle’s rehab remarkable.
For the 49ers, the return of both players changes the shape of the opener. It just doesn’t mean either one should be expected to carry a full load right away.
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