George Kittle’s recovery from the Achilles tear he suffered in mid-January has moved into the kind of territory that sounded impossible not long ago. The San Francisco 49ers tight end is now talking about a real shot to be back on the field early in the season, and he’s not hiding how optimistic he feels about it.
On NBC Sports’ Chris Simms’ podcast, Unbuttoned, Kittle laid out where things stand.
“I like my chances. I really do.
I know I’m in a great spot,” Kittle said. “Last couple of weeks I was back running routes.
I’m definitely not 100%, but I feel like I’m at a spot where I think I can get there by Week 1. So I’m excited about it.
I’m not gonna be stupid with it.
“If it’s a stretch to go play in Australia, we won’t do it. I do feel confident that I have a chance to play, and so, I’m really excited about that, and it’s been very easy for me to light a fire every single day. Just because I know I have a chance, and I’m just going to attack it every single day, and put me in a position to succeed.”
That’s a major update for a player who, by any normal standard, would have been expected to be sidelined far longer. Kittle has been saying since OTAs began that Week 1 is the target, and he’s still on that track as training camp opens for the 49ers.
The big question now is how realistic that opening-week return actually is, especially with the game being played in Australia. Even so, the fact that he’s even in the conversation is a remarkable development. He’s already back running routes, which makes a stint on the physically unable to perform list seem unlikely.
If Kittle were placed on PUP, he would have to miss the first four games. Based on where he is now, that doesn’t appear necessary. Week 1 may still be a stretch, but a debut in Week 2 or Week 3 looks like the more likely path.
Whenever he does get back, the reaction at Levi’s Stadium should be huge.
In Other News...
George Kittle Just Shared A Wild Kyle Shanahan Fight Story
George Kittle has a way of turning even a casual offseason memory into a full-on locker room story, and his latest one goes back to a 49ers trip to Cabo years ago. The tight end was talking about a golf outing that included both families and a few drinks, when a playful exchange with Kyle Shanahan escalated into a moment that sounded more like a backyard dare than a coach-player relationship.
For San Francisco, stories like that are part of the backdrop to a season that always seems to carry a little extra personality under Shanahan and Kittle. The same article also circles back to the roster picture, including Dre Greenlaws emotional return to the facility and the buzz around Jacob Cowing as a potential camp standout, but the Kittle anecdote is the kind of thing that reminds you how loose and human this group can be before the real football starts. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Camp Absences Suddenly Put Early Week 1 Focus On Four Names
The 49ers first week of training camp already has a different feel because of the names sitting out and the roster shuffling around them. General manager John Lynch said the team waived undrafted rookie tight end Khalil Dinkins with a non-football injury designation and brought in Tanner McLachlan, a 2024 sixth-round pick most recently with the Bengals, while defensive tackle Evan Anderson is expected to be released once a corresponding move is made.
More pressing for San Francisco is the group starting camp on the active/PUP list, with George Kittle, Isaac Guerendo, Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins all set to begin on the sideline. Lynch said Kittles rehab is coming along tremendously and that he is doing everything possible to be ready for Week 1, while Williams is also making every effort to be available for the opener even if that remains uncertain. [Read more 🡒]
5 Young 49ers Could Force Their Way Into Camp Battles
Training camp has a way of turning depth-chart guesses into real competition, and the 49ers have a handful of young players who could make that happen before the pads even come on. Jordan James, Jacob Cowing, Romello Height, Kurtis Rourke and Ephesians Prysock all arrive with different paths, but the same basic challenge: show enough early to make the staff keep them in the conversation for roles that are still very much up for grabs.
For some, the opening is obvious. Cowing can help himself on special teams even before he proves more as a receiver, while Height is the kind of edge presence the 49ers have been searching for in the right situation. Rourke is trying to stand out in a quarterback room that already has established names, and Prysock has a chance to make life interesting in the secondary. James, meanwhile, is in the middle of a backfield race that could be decided by who looks most ready when camp starts sorting out the pecking order. [Read more 🡒]