George Kittle Reveals If He'll Miss 49ers' Season Opener vs Rams

The San Francisco 49ers are no stranger to injuries.

The team was the most snake-bitten team int hat department last season, and some feel the season-ending injuries to edge-rushers Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams plus linebacker Fred Warner was the reason San Francisco fell short of reaching the Super Bowl.

In the postseason, the 49ers suffered another major injury when Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle went down with a torn right Achilles.

That specific injury typically sidelines players for 9-12 months, but Kittle has a more aggressive goal: to return a few months before then. In fact, he thinks it's possible he's on the field when the 49ers play the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia to open the 2026 season.

"That's what my goal is," Kittle recently told Front Office Sports when asked if he plans to be ready for Week 1. "I was told it's not a crazy goal. As long as I keep on the right path and everything goes the right way, hey, I got a chance.

"… Everyone keeps telling me I won't be back until Week 6, 7, or 8, and I'll be like, ‘You guys believe whatever you want to believe.’ My goal is to be back there as early as possible."

The fact that the 49ers open the season multiple time zones away in another country doesn't help Kittle's chance of playing in Week 1.

However, just because most aren't counting on him to be ready by then, that doesn't mean he's ready to throw in the towel.

"As a 15-hour flight and a game like four days before a normal opening day, that might make it a little bit difficult, sure, but who doesn't like a challenge?" Kittle continued. "So, no, I've got a chance, like I said, so just going to keep my head down, keep grinding every single day.

"If we started the season off at home, and I didn't have to hop on a plane for 15 hours, it might be different, but I think it just depends on how I'm feeling, if I'm cleared to go. If I'm cleared, hey, I'll be there, and I'll be on the field. And if they're like, ‘Hey, it's close, it'll be a game-time decision.' So, we'll see."

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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 6:34 PM.