Everyone get your notebooks ready because Tight End University is in session. San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's annual assemblage of tight end talent is happening right now in Tennessee, and there are plenty of other Niners in attendance like quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Mac Jones.
Kittle is running routes and looks pretty good out on the field even if he doesn't have pads on and isn't getting hit by anyone. He is still recovering from tearing his Achilles in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles last season.
Reporter David Lombardi asked Kittle about his potential availability for the team's Week 1 game in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams and said, "Definitely on track. I have a chance."
George Kittle on a potential Week 1 return: "Definitely on track. I have a chance." pic.twitter.com/8CiX1gvMDN
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) June 23, 2026
It's pretty incredible there is even a chance Kittle could be back for that game, considering he suffered such a major injury. That sort of injury can keep guys out for a full calendar year sometimes, and that was the fear when Kittle went down in Philadelphia.
It speaks to both how lucky Kittle was with the specific kind of tear he had and the kind of competitor he is that he is trying so hard to get back on the field as soon as possible.
But the 49ers have to be beyond careful with their star tight end in his recovery.
49ers can't afford to rush George Kittle back from injury
This cannot be a situation where Kittle feels 95-percent healthy ahead of Week 1 and the Niners decide he's good enough to go. He has to be feeling 100-percent, absolutely, positively healthy. Otherwise, he cannot be on the field.
If that means they keep him out the first few weeks, then so be it. Are the 49ers a worse team with Kittle not on the field? Assuredly. But they cannot afford to lose him for the bulk of the upcoming season, so they have to be beyond cautious with him.
That may mean holding him out of Week 1 altogether just as a precaution. Even if he says he feels totally fine, the fact his recovery has been so fast, and the fact the game is going to be played in Australia should be enough to convince San Francisco to hold him out just to be sure.
It would be awesome to see him out there in action, but it would be awful if he had to leave that game due to injury because he came back too soon.
Kittle's recovery has been amazing, but the Niners can't ruin it by rushing him back.
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