One of the questions the San Francisco 49ers will face in training camp and the preseason is whether George Kittle is ready for Week 1, or will he start on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list?
Kittle tore his Achilles tendon in January 2026 during the Niners’ wild-card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Kittle will be 33 years old in the early part of the 2026 season; as a result, the 49ers have to be careful with his return.
Moreover, KNBR’s Larry Krueger states that it would be a terrible decision on Kittle’s part to push himself to be ready for Week 1.
“If people are talking about him coming back in Week 1, other people are saying maybe not Week 1, but perhaps Week 2 or Week 3,” Krueger said on the May 24 edition of “The Krueg Show.” “What? This guy should not come back until after the bye week at the soonest.
“The Raider game [in Week 9], the Cowboy game [in Week 10], that’s when he’s coming back. He’s not coming back in Week 1. If he comes back in Week 1, I think that’s a terrible decision. I’ll just say it that way. It’s a terrible decision.”
Last season, Kittle posted a 90.8 overall PFF grade for the 49ers. Furthermore, he recorded 57 receptions on 66 targets for 628 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 11.0 yards per reception and generating 259 yards after the catch.
49ers Urged to Be Extra Cautious With George Kittle
Kittle means a lot to the San Francisco offense, and Krueger notes it’s in their best interest to be extra cautious with his return. The Niners aspire to reach the Super Bowl. As a result, they need to make sure that Kittle is ready to go down the stretch and into a potential playoff run.
“You’re expecting to play football of significance into mid-February,“ Krueger added. “That’s when the Super Bowl is. Don’t rush this guy back. Do not let him get back until he is 100%. He means that much to the franchise.
“When will he return? My guess is not until at least the bye week. When should he return? Probably not until Thanksgiving. Find somebody else. Get another veteran tight end. Find a different guy. You brought in Khalil Dinkins. He can block. You got [Luke] Farrell, he can block. You got [Jake] Tonges, he can catch. Find one more tight end and do not rush George Kittle back.
“You know, he wants to rush back, but the other thing that’s complicated in this situation is George Kittle’s walk-around weight is not his playing weight. If it was, maybe he could make that comeback sooner.”
Will George Kittle Still Be an Impact Player?
When Kittle does return, the other question will be whether he can still be an impactful player for San Francisco. 49ers on SI’s Grant Cohn doesn’t believe the veteran will be his dominant self again after the Achilles injury. Still, he says the Niners standout can be an impactful player.
“I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong, but I just don’t see a world where George Kittle comes back and is dominant,“ Cohn said in a May 11 video on his YouTube channel. “Even last year, he was not much of a threat after the catch. He was still a good blocker and good in the red zone. I feel like that’s what the rest of his career is going to be.
“He should still be a good blocker, maybe, and he’ll definitely be a threat in the red zone, but he’s not going to be a guy you can give seven, eight or nine targets a game to. He’s going to be a complementary receiver and a blocker, someone you go to on third down and in the red zone. He’s not going to be a YAC guy anymore.”
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