George Kittle expected back for 49ers opener barring setback

The Achilles tear ended his season on Jan. 11.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 81 min read

Barring any setbacks the remainder of the practice week, 49ers TE George Kittle is expected to make his return from a se Via @LindseyThiry on X

What happened: Kittle practiced in full uniform in Melbourne during San Francisco’s final preparation for the opener. He had advanced to 11-on-11 work by Sept. 2, less than eight months into his recovery.

Why it matters: His availability would restore a key receiving and blocking option to the offense. Playing the opener would mean Kittle misses no regular-season games because of the injury.

By the numbers: San Francisco activated Kittle from PUP on Aug. 23, 16 days before Tuesday’s update.

What to watch: The remaining practice sessions will determine whether his expected return stays on schedule.

Sources

@LindseyThiry 2026-09-08T04:07:04.456039+00:00

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