The San Francisco 49ers are just days away from their Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia.
All signs seem to point toward veteran tight end George Kittle taking the field, despite tearing his Achilles in January during the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kittle’s recovery has been remarkable. He traveled with the team, and while the 49ers haven’t confirmed his status, his teammates and coaches expect him to play Thursday night if he gets through the next 48 hours without any setbacks.
Purdy Makes Statement on Kittle
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy spoke to the media ahead of the game and faced questions about Kittle’s rapid recovery.
“All I know is that he went hard,” Purdy said. “He did everything he could to get back for Week 1. That’s a credit to him. That’s actually remarkable to be able to have that kind of injury and do what he did to get back. He flew places… did everything the right way. He just worked his tail off every day in the weight room from when we were back in California at OTAs, the summer in Tennessee and then back during camp.
“Big credit to him for doing that and doing it for the team,” he added. “He wanted to get back to play with the boys and to give this organization everything he’s got.”
Brock Purdy on George Kittle returning from his Achilles injury so quickly:
“All I know is that he went hard. He did everything he could to get back for Week 1. That’s a credit to him. That’s actually remarkable to be able to have that kind of injury and do what he did to get… pic.twitter.com/xygT93pXrv
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) September 8, 2026
49ers Coach Speaks on Kittle’s Week 1 Status
San Francisco offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak also addressed the media this week. And he revealed that Kittle’s overall workload is still to be determined.
“Super impressed with how he’s looked considering the injury and how quick he got back on the field,” said Kubiak. “It’s cool to me to see how Kittle looks. His workload will be determined.”
49ers QB Brock Purdy Makes Strong George Kittle Statement Before Rams Game