49ers’ George Kittle shares encouraging Achilles recovery update

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is progressing in his recovery from a torn Achilles, offering an encouraging update this week.

Kittle was seen riding an electric scooter during Pro Bowl practices and again during a Friday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. While the scooter has drawn attention, the All-Pro tight end explained it's mostly for convenience while he continues rehabbing.

"I'm literally only in this when I'm outside of my house," Kittle said. "The nice thing, too, is my trainers are coming to me right now, which is really convenient. But I do a whole bunch of iso-holds, ankle stuff. Basically, I have like a three-inch heel lift in my boot right now, so I can stand up on this right now and just kind of hang out.

"But walking, we're not doing that yet. I'll be in a shoe next week, and I'll be back and forth between a shoe and a boot. And then, I'm on crutches for like another two to three, four weeks, and then, I'm rolling again."

The 32-year-old is preparing to enter his 10th NFL season. In 2025, Kittle appeared in 11 games after missing much of the early part of the season due to a hamstring injury, landing him on injured reserve after Week 1. He finished with 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns, continuing to be one of the offense's biggest playmakers.

Kittle remains a cornerstone of the 49ers' offense and is under contract through the 2029 season after signing a four-year, $76.4 million extension in April 2025. If his recovery timeline stays on track, the 49ers could have their star tight end back at full strength as they gear up for another postseason push.