The San Francisco 49ers concluded their preseason after they beat the Las Vegas Raiders 18-12 on Thursday.
The 49ers are now locking in on their regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams on Sep. 10 in Melbourne, Australia.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter delivered a massive boost to 49ers fans, reporting that star tight end George Kittle will practice with the team this week.
Schefter reported: “49ers TE George Kittle is expected to practice this week as he continues his efforts to play in the opener in Australia against the Rams. Kittle hasn’t had any setbacks in his return from a torn Achilles, and still has a legitimate chance to play the opener, per sources.”
There was concern that Kittle had suffered a setback. Head coach Kyle Shanahan made a vague comment after the 49ers’ preseason finale.
What exactly does Kyle Shanahan mean by that?! All eyes will be on if George Kittle is at practice early next week.
Not sure if he means Kittle has regressed a little bit, or if he suffered a minor setback.
While discussing various injured players, Shanahan mentioned Kittle’s name, adding “who’s taken a step back.”
George Kittle Activated From the PUP List
The 49ers officially activated Kittle from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Aug, 23.
“No more PUP for George Kittle means that the 49ers, at the very least, are confident that he’ll be back before Week 5. But signs point to a return far before then, and Week 1 cannot be ruled out,” David Lombardi of the San Francisco Standard reported (on Aug. 23).
Reporters spotted Kittle at the 49ers’ practice after the team activated him.
🎥: @VicTafur
Kittle continues to recover from a torn Achilles. He suffered the injury during the 49ers’ playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles in January 2026.
But the star tight end has made significant strides throughout this offseason.
George Kittle Last Season
Kittle also suffered a hamstring injury during the 49ers’ 2025 Week 1 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
He missed 5 additional games because of the injury.
While Kittle was out, backups TEs Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges received the bulk of the snaps.
Tonges especially shined in the receiving game. 49er fans probably remember his game-winning touchdown against the Seahawks in Week 1.
Kittle still made the Pro Bowl last season after playing in only 11 games. He recorded 57 receptions for 628 receiving yards. Kittle also added 7 touchdowns.
49ers Get Massive George Kittle Update Ahead of Regular Season Opener