San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle targets Week 1 return after Achilles tear
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle believes he is on track to make his return from a torn Achilles in the Week 1 opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia.
The All-Pro pass-catcher sustained the devastating injury 19 weeks ago during an NFC Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in January.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, he confirmed his recovery has suffered no setbacks and remains significantly ahead of schedule.
“When I had the surgery and Dr Neal ElAttrache told me, ‘Hey, I think if you do everything the right way, you have a chance,’ it definitely ignites something and makes you push for it,” Kittle said.
“We’re on track. We’re ahead of schedule.”
Progress on the practice field
Signs of physical improvement were evident during organised team activities this week in California.
The five-time Pro Bowler was observed completing single-leg hops and short jogs on the sidelines.
He revealed that this marks his most intensive running session since the initial rupture, following a return to full body-weight jogging earlier this month.
The veteran outlined several crucial milestones he must hit before rejoining the active roster:
- Securing medical clearance for high-impact training
- Resuming functional football movements such as run blocking and route running
- Shedding the physical rust accumulated during his lengthy sideline spell
The Australian flight complication
One potential hurdle in this targeted comeback is the gruelling international travel required for the season opener.
San Francisco are scheduled to fly to Melbourne on 2 September ahead of their 11 September fixture against their NFC West rivals.
There are lingering concerns that a long-haul flight could negatively impact the healing tendon, effectively reducing his recovery window.
However, head coach Kyle Shanahan remains fully confident in his star player’s relentless work ethic.
“Kittle works his tail off and he’s extremely talented and gifted, so he’ll do it as fast as you can,” Shanahan stated.
A cleaner tear than expected
The underlying optimism surrounding this rapid rehabilitation stems from the specific nature of the original rupture.
Medical staff informed the offensive weapon that the tear occurred higher up the Achilles near the soleus muscle.
Because the break was remarkably clean, surgeons avoided drilling into his heel bone, drastically accelerating his overall timeline.