George Kittle's Achilles recovery ahead of schedule; real shot at Australia opener
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's recovery from a January Achilles tear is ahead of schedule after an encouraging visit with surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, giving him a legitimate chance to face the Rams in the Australia opener.
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's return from a torn Achilles is tracking ahead of schedule, and the star pass-catcher now has a real shot at being ready for the regular-season lid-lifter.
Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter): Sources: 49ers tight end George Kittle visited Wednesday in Los Angeles with renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the surgery on his torn Achilles in January. It was said to be an encouraging visit. Kittle’s recovery is ahead of schedule, and it gives him a legitimate chance to play in the regular season opener in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams.
Schefter reported that Kittle visited renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Wednesday. ElAttrache performed the surgery that repaired Kittle's torn Achilles in January, and the visit was described as encouraging. The 49ers open the 2026 season in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams — a marquee international matchup — and Kittle's availability would be a significant boost for an offense already managing other health questions.
Kittle, a perennial Pro Bowl tight end, went down with the Achilles injury during the 2025 campaign. Tight end is a position where the 49ers can ill afford to lose a tone-setter; his blocking and receiving are central to Kyle Shanahan's scheme. Even if he is not at full strength for Week 1, simply being active against the Rams would change the complexion of the opener.
The 49ers have not ruled Kittle out for the Australia game, and the encouraging read from his specialist visit is the strongest signal yet that the tight end could beat the most pessimistic recovery timelines.