George Kittle’s ambitious goal of returning for Week 1 from his torn Achilles just got a dose of cold reality, straight from a former 49ers head coach. Steve Mariucci, who spent a lot of time with Kittle, is seriously doubtful the tight end will be ready for the season opener, telling Alex Withers, “that might be too quick of a turnaround.” That’s a huge gut check for a team prepping to head down under to Australia and kick off their season against Myles Garrett and the Los Angeles Rams.
Kittle’s Comeback Trail and Mariucci’s Big Concerns
Kittle has been hitting the side field at training camp, seen running and cutting, which sounds promising, right? And the guy himself is optimistic he won’t land on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start the year. But Mariucci isn’t buying the Week 1 hype. He flat out said Kittle’s “not there yet” and doubted he’d be ready. Remember, Kittle tore that Achilles late last year during the Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s a brutal injury, and rushing back for Week 1, especially with a long flight to Australia looming, might force the 49ers to be super cautious. Mariucci even warned this “could be an issue for them offensively.” When a former coach who’s been around the team for ages drops that kind of doubt, it’s not just noise, it’s a real alarm bell ringing.
More Injury Woes and the Deebo Samuel Boost
Kittle’s Achilles isn’t the only thing giving Mariucci pause. The tight end apparently dealt with three different lower body injuries *last year* alone. You gotta wonder how much more his body can take. Mariucci straight up admitted he hopes Kittle can play 16 games, but he’s “not so sure.” And it’s not just Kittle. Nick Bosa’s health is also a “constant concern” after not being healthy the last couple of years, even if he’s practicing now. Christian McCaffrey and Mike Evans were also mentioned as key players the 49ers are being extra cautious with.
The good news? Mariucci likes the return of Deebo Samuel, calling it a “good get” for both receiver depth and his ability to play running back. Plus, Fred Warner is back, which Mariucci sees as a “big boost.” But at the end of the day, Mariucci’s biggest takeaway is that the 49ers have been “unlucky” with injuries lately and need to play with “more of a complete team” this year. Health is the only thing standing in their way, and right now, it sounds like there are more questions than answers heading into their opener against the Rams.
With that Australia trip fast approaching, all eyes are locked on Kittle. Can he truly defy expectations, or will Mariucci’s doubts prove prophetic? How the 49ers manage Kittle and their other banged-up stars in the coming weeks will set the tone for their entire early season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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