The San Francisco 49ers are going through well-documented injury issues at this time. They have upwards of 20 players dealing with injuries ahead of their first preseason game. One player trying to work his way back is future Hall of Fame tight end George Kittle.
Kittle is a bit of a different case, as his injury isn’t recent. The 49ers star suffered his injury during San Francisco’s playoff run back in January. He tore his Achilles tendon, ending his run in the postseason.
The 49ers play their first preseason game on Thursday night against the Tennessee Titans. With this in mind, here’s a deeper look at the injury Kittle suffered and a look into when he could return to the field.
When Will 49ers’ George Kittle Return From Torn Achilles Tendon?
Kittle suffered his injury in his team’s Wild Card matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 49ers star was tackled by safety Marcus Epps, and his calf seemed to pop during the process. He immediately received treatment on the field before being carted off.
So far, it has been unclear when the future Hall of Famer could return to the field. However, there have been some positive signs. One recent report expressed optimism that he could play as early as Week 1.
“49ers star tight end George Kittle continues to make terrific progress working back from the torn Achilles he suffered in January and there’s a high level of confidence at this point that he’ll end up being able to play Week 1 vs. the Rams,” CBS Sports reporter Matt Zenitz reported on August 10.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Zenitz also provided a video alongside that report, showing Kittle working hard and testing his Achilles during a practice session.
Video of Kittle working out off to the side at 49ers training camp
🎥 @TheSFNiners
pic.twitter.com/9ZjiqloE3Y— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) August 11, 2026
It appears as if the reaction to Kittle’s work has been positive, as well. One observation from ESPN’s Nick Wagoner noted that the veteran tight end appeared to be moving quite well as he worked off to the side on Monday.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
“One notable thing from before practice: TE George Kittle did the most extensive side work we’ve been able to see so far in this camp,” Wagoner stated in his observation. “He was running routes, catching passes and doing some conditioning. Seems to be moving quite well as he bounces back from Achilles injury.”
Kittle has been an important part of this 49ers offense for some time now. He has had four seasons with over 1,000 yards and has built a reputation as one of the best tight ends of his generation.
Unfortunately, the 2025 season was his most limited season since he played just eight games during the 2020 campaign. The 49ers star played 11 regular-season games in 2025, catching 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns. Still, he had the second-highest tight end impact score (82.4) of the season, according to PFN’s Tight End Impact Metric.
The official word on when Kittle could return to the field is unknown. However, from all available reports, it seems the San Francisco star is progressing well. And he could return sooner rather than later if things continue down this path.
