As expected, the 49ers appear set to be getting a major boost on offense this week with the return of All-Pro tight end George Kittle, based on what head coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday.
Shanahan told reporters during his post-practice media session on Thursday that Kittle looked healthy and ready to go, which doesn't come as a surprise after he told KNBR radio the day before that he expected Kittle to be ready to play against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. Shanahan told reporters Kittle would be on a "pitch count" in his first game back since going on injured reserve in November with a foot injury.
Shanahan said Kittle might be healthiest guy on the team. He said Kittle definitely would be on a pitch count (which he declined to share with reporters).
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) December 24, 2020
Kittle had 37 catches for 474 yards and two touchdowns before going on injured reserve on November 5. 49ers general manager John Lynch told KNBR earlier on Thursday that Kittle could have played against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15 but the 49ers decided to hold off on Kittle's return for one more week.
"Last week, frankly, he was cleared, but we all decided, 'You know what? Let's just give him a week of practice,'" Lynch said. "And as George likes to say, (he) was Scout Team Player of the Week, and you kept looking over there, and there's this guy, 85, on the scout team who is dicing up our defense. It looked really good, and he came out feeling good."
The 49ers and Cardinals face off at 4:30 p.m. EST/1:30 p.m. PST at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday.