Kittle eyes return to practice, opener in Australia
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- George Kittle is targeting a return from a torn right Achilles sustained Jan. 11 against the Eagles, saying he has 'a chance' to be back on the practice field soon and is 'very confident' he won't begin the season on the PUP list — meaning he plans to be back within the first four games.
- Kittle has been running routes and catching passes from a team staffer at near full speed on a side field, hitting GPS speed benchmarks 'pretty close' to his pre-injury numbers.
- Dr. Neal ElAttrache told Kittle right after surgery that he could be back for Week 1 if he stuck to the plan — a rehab Kittle called 'the most boring rehab in the entire world,' built largely around seated and standing calf raises.
- A decision on Kittle's Week 1 status would likely come before the 49ers depart for Melbourne on Sept. 2, to avoid sending him on the long flight for a game he'd miss.
- Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak praised Kittle's 'relentless positivity' and said the tight end, working out with trainers, 'looks great.'
Why it matters: The 49ers must decide by Sept. 2 whether to send Kittle to Melbourne for a Week 1 game he might miss, with his PUP confidence signaling San Francisco expects its All-Pro tight end back within the first month — making both the trip roster call and his mid-rehab practice clearance the immediate operational stakes.
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