George Kittle 'ahead of schedule' in Achilles injury return. Will he play Week 1?

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has been making encouraging progress in his recovery from an Achilles injury suffered earlier this season. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Kittle's timeline for returning to action is ahead of schedule, potentially allowing him to participate in Week 1 of the NFL season, which kicks off in Melbourne, Australia.

Kittle visited renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Wednesday, following the successful surgery on his torn Achilles in January. The visit was described by Schefter as "encouraging," suggesting that Kittle's recovery is unfolding better than expected.

Currently listed as physically unable to perform (PUP), Kittle was previously seen deadlifting an impressive 665 pounds as part of his rehabilitation efforts. Just a month ago, the 32-year-old tight end was making significant strides in his comeback from the injury. During the 2025 season, Kittle played in 11 games, recording 57 catches on 69 targets for 628 yards and 7 touchdowns, averaging 11 yards per catch.

Kittle, who entered his 10th NFL season with the 49ers, has established himself as a key player for the franchise. Over his career, he has amassed 595 catches on 802 targets for 8,008 yards and 52 touchdowns, maintaining an average of 13.5 yards per catch across 124 games played.