George Kittle tore his Achilles back on Jan. 11 in San Francisco's wild-card win over the Eagles, an injury that on a normal recovery clock keeps guys out until midseason. Kittle has never been about normal clocks. He got a fresh 4-year, $76 million extension through 2029 this offseason, and now he's treating the rehab like it's his job to blow past the typical timetable and be ready for Week 1.
That quote lines up with what Kittle has been saying all camp: he's hitting the benchmarks, and he's close. It's the kind of update that gets 49ers fans, and fantasy managers everywhere, checking his practice reps every single day between now and kickoff.
The stakes here aren't just about one tight end feeling good in August. San Francisco's opener against the Rams on Sept. 10 is happening in Australia, which means there's no quietly ramping Kittle up on a home practice field the week of the game. If he's making that flight, the 49ers need to trust he can suit up and go, not just show up for the trip.
With 17 days until the flight that will take the 49ers to Australia, tight end George Kittle still maintains hope that he'll be ready to board that airplane and play in the regular season opener against the Rams on Sept. 10. Story via @nwagoner: https://t.co/p3RfqUkcS3
Adam Schefter's framing puts a number on the urgency: 17 days until that flight leaves. That's not a ton of runway for a guy coming off a ruptured Achilles, and it's exactly why every Kittle update between now and then is going to get magnified.
Kittle himself has stopped short of guaranteeing anything, which tracks for a guy who tore a major tendon 8 months ago. "He has a chance" is the operative phrase floating around, not a lock. Still, for a 49ers offense that leaned on him as a security blanket for Brock Purdy for years, even a chance of having him Week 1 is a massive swing in expectations heading into the opener.