The preseason is officially over for the San Francisco 49ers, and now everyone’s attention will turn to Week 1's showdown with the Los Angeles Rams in Australia. One of the biggest questions will be whether star tight end George Kittle suits up or not, and head coach Kyle Shanahan’s cryptic remark has only complicated the matter.
When talking to the media, Shanahan said that Kittle has “taken a step back” as he tries to get ready for the regular season opener. Immediately, some on social media speculated that Shanahan was saying Kittle had some sort of setback in his rehab process.
Others like Vic Tafur of The Athletic interpreted it as Shanahan saying Kittle is taking a step back in the right direction and may in fact be on track to play in Melbourne.
It was a confusing way to phrase it on Shanahan’s part, but perhaps that can be forgiven. After all, it’s easy to forget the guy was in a major car accident less than two months ago and is quite lucky that he’s even alive, so maybe he just slightly misspoke.
Of course, a cynic might interpret this as Shanahan playing three-dimensional chess and trying to have a little gamesmanship with the Rams ahead of the matchup. That’s probably a stretch considering the game is still a week and a half away, and it’s a little early to play mind games with the opponent.
George Kittle's rehab may not be going as smooth as many once thought
Still, the remark only adds to the uncertainty around Kittle. It’s clear he wants to play, and it would undoubtedly be awesome if he was back on the field for the first-ever NFL game in Australia. At the same time, the Niners have to be smart and cannot put Kittle in a position where he could reinjure himself.
One could even make the case that the Niners should intentionally rest Kittle, Mike Evans, and Nick Bosa in Week 1 so they could return in Week 2, which will be a home game at Levi’s Stadium. This strategy would allow veterans who have been nursing injuries to start their season under more conventional circumstances.
Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell should be able to handle Kittle’s tight end duties while he is out, so it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if the 49ers choose to err on the side of caution.
At the end of the day, the red and gold need Kittle to be healthy in December and January. Even if he doesn't end up traveling to Australia, it might be for the better in the long run.
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