George Kittle is 32. George Kittle remains one of the most valuable players in the NFL at 32. The San Francisco 49ers were a completely different team with No. 85 on and off the field in 2025. That’s been the case whenever Kittle has missed time.
During the regular season, the 49ers averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 213 designed runs (non-quarterback scrambles) with Kittle on the field. With Kittle off the field, the 49ers averaged 3.7 yards per carry on 205 designed runs.
Not only did the rushing attack
take a step back, the explosive plays did, too. The 49ers gained 10 or more yards on just 7.3 percent of their carries, which was down from 10.8 percent with Kittle on the field.
It’s not a great sign when your offense can’t function when one player goes down. It’d be more forgivable if it were Brock Purdy. But the Niners rushing offense struggled to get off the mat when Kittle wasn’t suited up.
As meaningful as Kittle’s contributions are to the run game, he remains a dangerous weapon and a focal point to the 49ers’ passing game. Without Kittle, Christian McCaffrey saw his target rate spike six percent.
McCaffrey had to place the league leader in receiving yards over expected for tight ends. That’s right. Despite missing six games, Kittle still led the league in that advanced stat. When 49ers quarterbacks targeted Kittle on throws of 10+ air yards, they had a perfect passer rating.
Having a Hall of Famer on the field can be beneficial. What a concept.
Basic Info
Age: 33
Experience: 9 accrued seasons
Height: 6’4
Weight: 247 pounds
Cap Status
We’re a little more than a year removed from Kittle signing a four-year extension. Kittle received $35 million in fully guaranteed compensation, including $18.14 million at signing. The new money Kittle received in guarantees was $20 million.
Kittle’s contract runs through the 2029 season. There are four ghost years added onto his contract to help spread out the $42 million option bonus Kittle received.
The extension helped lower Kittle’s cap number in 2025 by $7.814 million. Kittle’s cap number in 2026 is similar at $14.14 million. It’ll remain in the teens until 2029, when it more than doubles at $34.46 million.
When can we expect Kittle to look like himself?
Kittle said all of the right things a couple of weeks ago. He said he’s “doing great” and hasn’t had any setbacks. “We’re on track. We’re ahead of schedule.”
Kittle admitted he needs to “knock some of the rust off” because he hadn’t done much since January. A flight a week earlier that’ll be the longest of the season doesn’t favor Kittle. The 49ers will leave September 2 for their September 11 matchup against the Rams. That long trip isn’t something that’s going to bode well for Kittle’s Achilles, suggesting Week 1 isn’t in the cards.
The 49ers have three home games after they return from Australia. Is that when we see Kittle? You’d think he’d make his season debut at Levi’s Stadium.
A better question would be when we can expect Kittle to look like himself. It’s Kittle. He’s not going to play if he’s less than 100 percent. But it’s also conceivable to think he’s going to trade like a maniac once he’s cleared so he can return and help his team as soon as possible.
Let’s play the hypothetical game and pretend Kittle returns in Week 4. The 49ers feel like they’re good enough to get past the Dolphins and the Cardinals, but aren’t going to risk it against a playoff team like the Broncos. Plus, it gives Kittle one week to get his legs underneath him before the 49ers travel to Seattle.
Will Kittle hit the ground running in October, or will that month serve more as his training camp and preseason, and will we get the best version of Kittle come November?
