If the San Francisco 49ers' Wild Card game versus the Philadelphia Eagles wasn't tough enough, the latest chapter of what has otherwise been an improbable season, the loss of All-Pro tight end and fan-favorite George Kittle to an Achilles tear only made things much worse.
Kittle's injury occurred late in the second quarter with the Niners trying to keep it a low-scoring game.
But, the ramifications of the injury could very well extend beyond training camp and maybe even beyond all of the 2026 campaign.
Yes, 2026. All of next year.
George Kittle's 2026 campaign is officially in doubt after Achilles injury
Like a torn ACL, Achilles tears aren't exactly quick-recovery setbacks.
And, as tough as it might be to know now, NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco pointed out a preliminary timeline for Kittle's recovery, assuming further testing of the injury reveals what's already feared:
The 49ers rule out TE George Kittle with an Achilles injury. This is typically a nine- to 12-month recovery to play.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) January 11, 2026
Best-case scenario? Nine months. Worst-case scenario, based on the above info? It'll completely wipe out Kittle's 2026 campaign.
Brutal.
Again, further testing will be needed to determine the extent of the injury, and one can assume Kittle will attack his post-injury recovery with the same sort of vigor and energy he displays on the field.
However, the strong possibility he'll be absent for most (if not all) of San Francisco's 2026 season potentially changes everything, perhaps even forcing the front office to adjust its offseason strategy. It might mean finding an adequate replacement via free agency or the draft, or possibly extending a bigger role to No. 2 tight end George Tonges, who admirably filled in for Kittle at various points already throughout 2025.
Ideally, the 49ers wouldn't have had to think about such a setback.
Unfortunately, they're not going to be able to dodge the painful truth about Kittle's return, which isn't going to be anytime soon.