George Kittle doesn’t plan on watching Week 1 from the sideline.
The San Francisco 49ers tight end, still working his way back from the Achilles injury he suffered in January’s playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles, says his recovery is moving faster than expected. He’s optimistic about getting off the physically unable to perform list before the regular season starts.
Kittle remains on the PUP list for now, which is standard for a player still working his way back from a significant injury. But according to NBC Pro Football Talk, the veteran tight end has been doing side work at training camp and appears close to rejoining practice.
Kittle’s Latest Injury Update
“Very confident,” Kittle said Sunday, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “Sooner than later.”
“Like I’ve said, I have a chance,” Kittle commented. “We’re running around a lot, hitting top speeds. Hopefully, we’re back in pads, practicing sooner than later. Just trying to check the boxes and not be a dumbass, is what I would say.”
A preseason appearance still seems unlikely, but a return to practice looks like the next real step. Kittle called his Achilles recovery “the most boring rehab in the world.” Still, he has followed the instructions of his surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, and his physical therapy team to ensure a successful recovery.
“When ElAttrache told me that I had a chance to play Week 1 as long as I did everything I was supposed to do, it was pretty easy to light a fire every single day,” Kittle said. “But yes, it is the most boring rehab in the entire world. It’s how many seated calf raises and standing calf raises can you do in a day, basically for 18 weeks. And then I got to start walking and running again, which is a little bit more exciting.”
Why Avoiding Reserve/PUP Matters for San Francisco
Kittle’s target is San Francisco’s Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia. Staying off reserve/PUP is the whole ballgame here.
Getting Kittle back for that game would be a significant boost for quarterback Brock Purdy and an offense that’s counting on him as a key weapon early in the year. San Francisco has managed injury situations carefully all camp, and Kittle’s case fits a broader pattern of teams around the league adjusting routines to manage injuries without rushing players back before they’re truly ready.
Next Two Weeks are Critical
The next real checkpoint is whether Kittle returns to full practice in the coming days, since that will tell San Francisco whether pads and live reps are realistic before the team departs for Australia. Kittle’s own comments suggest the next couple of weeks will determine whether he’s truly ready for Week 1 or needs a bit more time to build back up.
“To build back up your physical callus of playing football, you just got to play football,” Kittle said. “That’s why, hopefully, I’m in pads sooner than later, because I don’t want my first time to be in pads traveling to Australia, because I just don’t think that’d be a very smart idea.”
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