George Kittle looks on track to be in the 49ers’ lineup when they open the 2026 season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
That opener comes almost exactly months after Kittle tore his Achilles in San Francisco’s wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles, and his availability has been one of the biggest questions surrounding the trip. Now, the signs are encouraging. The star tight end is set to make the 15-hour flight on Wednesday as the 49ers head Down Under a week early to adjust to the time difference, and the expectation is that he could suit up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
NFL Network and ESPN’s Ian Rapoport reported early Wednesday that Kittle has put together two strong days of practice and is “trending in the right direction to play”.
If he’s out there, that changes plenty for San Francisco. Kittle gives the offense value as both a reliable target in the passing game and a force as a blocker, and the difference when he isn’t on the field has been obvious for a while.
There’s still a separate concern on the other side of the ball: Nick Bosa. Rapoport reported that Bosa is “ramping up” his knee while dealing with tendinitis and soreness tied to his ACL reconstruction, and he too will travel with the team.
For the 49ers, Bosa may be the bigger key to the night. San Francisco is thin at defensive end, with no other outside pass rusher close to his level, and if he can’t play, the ability to pressure Matthew Stafford and the Rams takes a major hit.
Kittle would give the 49ers a better shot at matching Los Angeles if this turns into a shootout. But for San Francisco to leave that long road trip with a win, it may come down to whether Bosa can be ready to help them get the stops they’ll need.
In Other News...
49ers Now Face A Bigger Jed York Problem Than The Arrest
Jed Yorks recent legal trouble has already put the 49ers in an awkward spot, but the more immediate concern inside the organization may be what happens around the business side of the franchise if his presence stays limited. General manager John Lynch has said the team is preparing for possible league discipline while football operations continue under executive Al Guido, a setup that keeps the day-to-day work moving even as the owners status hangs over the building.
For now, the 49ers say the locker room and team activities have not been affected, which is the kind of answer clubs tend to give when they want the football to stay separate from everything else. Still, this is not just about the arrest itself. It is about how much of Yorks role can be carried out from a distance, how the league responds, and whether a franchise used to having its owner close at hand can keep functioning smoothly if that becomes the new normal. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Week 1 Could Hinge On A Rams Discipline Decision
The Rams enter their international opener against the 49ers with two notable players still available on paper, even as the league continues to weigh possible discipline. Puka Nacua is facing a civil lawsuit alleging physical assault and battery, and Alaric Jackson remains in the same waiting pattern, with neither player placed on the commissioners exempt list ahead of Week 1.
For San Francisco, the timing matters almost as much as the ruling itself. The NFL has shown before that suspensions can land in early September, but there has been no official announcement yet, leaving the 49ers to prepare for a division game with one more layer of uncertainty than usual. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Australia Plan Could Create A Huge Rams Debate
The 49ers trip to Australia for their 2026 season opener is already shaping up to be more than just a long-haul curiosity. San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams are set to open the NFL regular season in Melbourne on Sept. 10, and the contrast in travel plans has become part of the conversation before either team boards a plane.
The Rams intend to arrive the day before the game and leave immediately afterward, while the 49ers are planning to get there several days early to adjust to the time difference. That difference has prompted some outside debate about which approach is smarter for handling jetlag, with neurologist W. Christopher Winter suggesting the Rams shorter stay could actually be the better way to manage the trip. [Read more 🡒]