So far, the recovery appears to be progressing well.
Kittle looked sharp during Tuesday's workouts at Tight End University (TEU) in Nashville, Tennessee. The All-Pro tight end recently revealed that he believes he's ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation and even reached 16 miles per hour while running in cleats over the weekend.
Kittle's teammate, backup quarterback Mac Jones, is also attending TEU this week. During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, guest-hosted by Andrew Siciliano, Jones was asked about Kittle's goal of being ready for the 49ers' season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
"Kittle always looks good," Jones said. "He's always training hard and doing everything he can on his body. He's a wizard when it comes to that stuff. He spends a lot of money on his body and takes care of it, and I think it's going along well.
"I'm not in his body, but he knows where he's at. He knows how he feels, and I'm sure he's going to be ready at some point to go out there and rip it. So, that's Kittle's mindset."
While Jones stopped short of predicting whether Kittle will be available for Week 1, his comments—combined with Kittle's encouraging progress and Tuesday's on-field observations—offer reason for optimism.
Kittle acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges of his recovery is balancing the desire to push forward with the need to avoid setbacks.
"I'm a little bit ahead of schedule, so I'm trying new things," Kittle said this week. "My trainers are like, 'Yeah, just simmer just a little bit.' Basically, what my surgeon told me is don't be a dumbass, and I'm trying my best to just not be a dumbass."
The 49ers star added, "I am on a tight leash, but I'm pulling as hard as I can."
Related News
Nobody's perfect. Did you find a mistake in this article? Report it.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Graziano weighs in on 49ers QB Brock Purdy's ESPN ranking snub
The debate over where Brock Purdy ranks among the NFL's elite quarterbacks intensified this week after the San Francisco 49ers signal-caller was left out of ESPN's top-10 quarterback rankings, which were compiled using feedback from NFL executives, coaches, and scouts. Despite... -
George Kittle's latest recovery video should get 49ers fans hyped
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle suffered a torn Achilles during a playoff game in January. Just six months later, the All-Pro appears well on his way to being ready for the start of the 2026 season. On Friday, strength and conditioning coach Josh Cuthbert shared a... -
49ers' Kyle Juszczyk shares encouraging George Kittle injury recovery update
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle continues to make encouraging progress in his recovery from the Achilles injury he suffered during last season's playoffs. After looking sharp during on-field workouts at Tight End University (TEU), optimism continues to grow that... -
49ers TE George Kittle inches closer to Hall of Fame résumé
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has already built an impressive résumé as he enters his 10th NFL season. The All-Pro tight end has totaled 595 receptions, 8,008 receiving yards, and 52 touchdowns throughout his career, placing him among the league's...