49ers Hopeful George Kittle Can Return for Season Opener

San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle tore his Achilles tendon amid the wildcard win over Philadelphia Eagles in early 2026.

49ers Hopeful George Kittle Can Return for Season Opener

George Kittle (Image via ESPN)

In Short
  • George Kittle may return for the San Francisco 49ers' season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
  • Head coach Kyle Shanahan noted Kittle is working hard to recover from a torn Achilles tendon.
  • Kittle has had a significant impact on the team, recording 52 touchdowns and over 8,000 receiving yards in his career.

The San Francisco 49ers were criminally plagued by a revolving door of injuries last season, leaving the team shorthanded. The Niners, despite this tough time, braved through to make the playoffs and knock the defending champions out in the wild card before being eliminated by the eventual champions.

George Kittle, who has become one of the most significant players on Kyle Shanahan’s chessboard, had bouts of injury that kept him off the field for periods of time. In the wildcard game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Kittle tore his Achilles tendon when he made a six-yard reception. Not surprisingly enough, due to the recent and grave nature of the injury, Kittle wasn’t expected to be available for the beginning half of the season.

However, Kittle may be returning much ahead of the curve. In fact, he may even appear for the highly anticipated season opener. The Niners open their season against their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the NFL’s glitzy introduction to Down Under.

Shanahan addressed Kittle’s return on The Rich Eisen Show, claiming that he’s working really hard to come back for the season opener.

I know there’s a chance to. I know he’s working his b** off to do it. I don’t want to say he’s on track, but I think that’s what he’s shooting for. And I don’t put anything past Kittle. He works as hard as anyone.

Shanahan noted that Kittle is also entering his tenth year, like him. He added that there are a few players like Kittle, naming Kyle Jusczyck as one, who have been here for the past ten years. Shanahan said that he’s built an extremely cherished relationship with them.

Kyle Shanahan recalled the ‘old’ George Kittle

The San Francisco 49ers head coach reminisced about George Kittle’s initial days in the league, which feels like a whole different time. Kyle Shanahan recalled that Kittle kept mostly to himself and didn’t let his personality out until the second year in the Bay Area.

The San Francisco 49ers drafted George Kittle in 2017 from Iowa in the fifth round (Image via YouTube | San Francisco 49ers)
The San Francisco 49ers drafted George Kittle in 2017 from Iowa in the fifth round (Image via YouTube | San Francisco 49ers)

Shanahan reminded that Kittle didn’t have the tattoos or the wristbands, ones he is highly associated with now, when he was drafted in 2017. His golden locks were much different, a dorky haircut in place of them. Shanahan recalled a specific incident from his rookie year when Kittle pretended to be healthy when he was actually hurt.

He said that he had confronted the player, acknowledging that they both knew he was injured. He told the player he didn’t need to be spoken to with excessive formality or like a youth coach, urging him to simply be honest about what was wrong.

However, the player insisted he was fine and asked not to be questioned further, Shanahan even thinking that not even he could break the ice with Kittle. But scenes were much different in the second year.

Then in the second year, he’s tatted up, he’s breaking records, he can come in on his own and tell me exactly what’s going on. He started to let his personality out… I think once he got comfortable and realized he could be himself, we’ve gotten the real him every year since. And that’s been nine cool years.

There’s no question about how much of an impact Kittle has made in San Francisco, playing ten seasons and recording 52 touchdowns from 8008 receiving yards and 595 receptions. It’s wild to think it could have remained a mere ‘what-if’ had the Seattle Seahawks or Dallas Cowboys actually backed up their words with action.

Also Read: