San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's recovery may not be as long as initially believed.
Kittle suffered a torn Achilles tendon on January 11 during the 49ers' Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. In the week leading up to Super Bowl LX, he was seen using a motorized scooter, fueling speculation about his recovery timeline.
Early projections suggested Kittle could miss most of next season. However, 49ers insider Matt Barrows of The Athletic offered a more optimistic outlook this week.
"I don't think Kittle's Achilles tendon tear will keep him out for all of or even most of next season," Barrows wrote in a recent mailbag article. "In fact, he's aiming to be back by Week 1 (though that seems less likely if the team opens the season with a 16-hour flight to Australia)."
The 49ers are scheduled to face the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL's first regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), creating an added travel challenge for the team.
After the injury, Kittle said, "They didn't have to drill into my heel. Where the repair was is where there's more blood flow. And so, it takes some time off the recovery."
During that conversation, Kittle suggested that a Week 1 return was not out of the question.
Kittle provided another recovery update last week during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, detailing his rehabilitation progress while commenting on the motorized scooter that helps him get around.
"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."
While the timeline remains fluid, Kittle's comments suggest steady progress in his recovery. Barrows' projection that the All-Pro tight end could return early in the 2026 season offers added optimism for the 49ers.
Kittle is entering his 10th NFL season. Sidelined for part of 2025 with a hamstring injury, he appeared in 11 regular-season games, recording 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns.
If Kittle can return closer to the start of the 2026 season, it would provide a significant boost for the 49ers, who are looking to build on their 12-5 campaign.
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