San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle knows the NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. That's why he has no intention of rushing back from the torn Achilles he suffered on January 11 if it jeopardizes his long-term health.

Still, the All-Pro tight end is optimistic about being ready for the 49ers' Week 1 international opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia.


Kittle is among the veteran players who reported to training camp early, as recovering players often do. Encouragingly, he continues to make steady progress in his rehabilitation and believes he remains on track to reach his goal of being fully healthy by the season opener.

"I like my chances. I really do," Kittle said on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast. "I know I'm in a great spot, besides being late for rehab because of you. But besides that, the last couple of weeks, I was back into running routes.

"I'm definitely not 100%, but I feel like I'm at a spot where I think I can get there by Week 1."

While Kittle is encouraged by his progress, he emphasized that he won't rush his recovery just to get back on the field. His priority is making sure he's healthy enough to contribute throughout the entire 2026 season.

"If it's a stretch to go play in Australia, hey, we won't do it," Kittle shared. "But I do feel confident that I have a chance to play. And so, I'm really excited about that, and it's been very easy for me to light a fire every single day. It's just because I know I have a chance, and I'm just going to attack it every single day, and put me in a position to succeed."


If Kittle can return for Week 1, it would provide a significant boost for a 49ers offense looking to begin the 2026 season at full strength. Even if he isn't fully cleared by then, his comments suggest his recovery is trending in the right direction.



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