San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle remains a big question mark for the team's Week 1 game, but recent reports indicate the injured tight end will be ready for the match in Melbourne, Australia.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Kittle is expected to practice this week and "hasn’t had any setbacks in his return from a torn Achilles." Schefter added that Kittle has a "legitimate chance" to play Week 1.
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. pic.twitter.com/fjMA3XNlkZ
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2026
This comes a day after 49ers head coach
Kyle Shanahan vaguely said Kittle is someone who has "taken a step back." There hasn't been any indication Kittle isn't still on track to play, but Shanahan's comments provoked skepticism that he will be ready after tearing his Achilles at the end of the 2025 season.
The Schefter report shouldn't be taken as gospel, but it's a good indication there is a lot more optimism in Kitte's recovery than Shanahan's comments indicated.
Kittle has always remained positive that he'll be ready for Week 1, but he's also caveated the difficulties of the long trip from the United States to Australia. Getting back to practice is a good first step, though, into making his dreams of playing Week 1 a reality.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Report clarifies Kyle Shanahan ‘setback’ comment about George Kittle
