The San Francisco 49ers have received a significant boost ahead of their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, with star defensive end Nick Bosa and tight end George Kittle officially cleared to play.
Both players were removed from the injury report on Thursday, hours before the game which is scheduled for Thursday evening local time, but Friday morning in the US. Bosa tore his right ACL in Week 3 of the 2025 season, while Kittle underwent surgery for a torn right Achilles tendon in January. Both had been listed as limited participants in practices throughout the week.
"We've got to be smart with that," head coach Kyle Shanahan said regarding the players' return. "They both look great. But we definitely have got to be smart with that." Bosa expressed confidence, stating he feels "100%" ready, and offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak noted Kittle "looks great."
Quarterback Brock Purdy highlighted Kittle's remarkable recovery. "All I know is that he went hard. He did everything he could to get back for Week 1. That's a credit to him," Purdy said. "That's actually remarkable to be able to have that kind of injury and do what he did to get back."
Kyle Juszczyk, a teammate, echoed the sentiment, calling Kittle's return after tearing his Achilles in the playoffs "absolutely insane" and a testament to his hard work.
The news comes after a turbulent offseason for the 49ers, marked by coach Kyle Shanahan's car crash in July and owner Jed York's arrest in August. The team also faced a challenging 15-hour flight to Australia for their Week 1 matchup.
Adding to the team's difficulties, defensive tackle Alfred Collins suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the week during practice. Collins, who was slated to be the starting nose tackle in his second year, tore his patellar tendon. His absence strains an already thin defensive line unit, with defensive tackle Gracen Halton and defensive end Romello Height managing ankle injuries, and rookie defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. sidelined with a hamstring issue.
"That was a big loss," Shanahan stated regarding Collins' injury. "We've lost two D-linemen pretty much for the year after (final roster) cuts, before the first game, which is going to be a huge challenge. I'm hurting for Alfred. It's real unfortunate for him."
Bosa, who himself played only three games last year due to injury, offered words of encouragement to Collins. "He just has to know that there's a light at the end of the tunnel," Bosa said. "I told him I've been through it a few times, so he just needs to take it one day at a time."
The game will be held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
