San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is on track to practice with the team on Tuesday, a significant development in his recovery from a ruptured Achilles injury. This latest update fuels speculation about his potential participation in the 49ers' Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
Pat McAfee reported on "The Pat McAfee Show" that sources indicate Kittle will be back in full practice. This news comes after San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested that Kittle had experienced a setback in his injury recovery following the team's final preseason game on Thursday. Prior to that, Kittle had been progressing towards a Week 1 return after being activated from the PUP list last week.
Kittle suffered the Achilles injury during a Wild Card game against the Philadelphia Eagles last season. The injury occurred in the second quarter shortly after his first catch of the game. The typical recovery timeline for such an injury ranges from nine to twelve months, but Kittle has been working towards an eight-month recovery period.
Reports indicate Kittle has made rapid progress, evidenced by a video released before training camp showing him deadlifting over 665 pounds. On August 16, Kittle himself expressed confidence to The Post that he had a chance to play in the season opener against the Rams. If Kittle is indeed ready for Week 1, it would represent one of the fastest recoveries from an Achilles rupture in NFL history.