San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle leaves the field after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has been working his way back from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in the playoffs last season. With the club set to open the 2026-27 campaign against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, it appears the 32-year-old is trending in the right direction.
Although that may be the case, Kittle did admit that he is likely a game-time decision during a guest appearance on the “Triple M Footy” podcast. The two-time First-Team All-Pro appeared optimistic while discussing his injury situation and his potential status for “Thursday Night Football.”
“I'm trending in the right direction,” Kittle said when asked if he's playing Thursday night in Australia. “It's going to be pretty close to [a] game-time decision. But I'm out there practicing, getting team reps, feeling great. No setbacks and, really at this point, it's just getting in shape again. Because I haven't really played a lot of football since January. But we're getting there. I have a chance to play, so I'm looking forward to it.”
George Kittle was asked if he’s playing Week 1 against the Rams:
“I’m trending in the right direction. It’s gonna be close to a game-time decision.”
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Kittle played just 11 games in the regular season last year as he missed time due to a hamstring injury. But once he returned to action, the 49ers got a nice boost in the passing game. He finished his ninth year in the league with 57 receptions, 628 yards, and seven touchdowns.
If the seven-time Pro Bowler is unable to play in the 49ers' Week 1 opener against the Rams, then the club will have to rely on Jake Tonges in the tight end position. Tonges is entering his fourth NFL season, and played decently well in place of Kittle last year, recording 34 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns.