George Kittle might actually play Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams! This isn’t just a rumor; the 49ers are seeing a significant shift in his status, and it means everything for their season opener in what promises to be an absolute slugfest.
The Long Road Back From That Achilles Tear
Let’s talk about Kittle’s journey. The man went down hard during the playoffs last season, tearing his Achilles in the second quarter of their 23-19 wild-card win against the Philadelphia Eagles. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the injury postgame, and everyone knew it was a brutal blow. Fast forward to now: Kittle was activated from the physically unable to perform list way back on August 23. The biggest sign he’s actually close? He traveled with the team all the way to Australia, for crying out loud, with the *possibility* of suiting up. Sources confirmed he’s had two positive days of practice and is genuinely “trending in the right direction” to play in the opener. That’s huge, right? Coming back from an Achilles is no joke, and to be ready for Week 1 after suffering it in January? Wild.
The Roster Cut That Screams Confidence
If you want the real smoking gun, look at what went down on Saturday. The 49ers cut tight end Brayden Willis. Now, John Breech from CBS Sports put it perfectly: getting cut *after* a 16-hour flight to Australia is brutal for Willis. But from a roster standpoint, this move is incredibly telling. Willis is a tight end, so dropping him signals one thing loud and clear: San Francisco is super confident Kittle is going to be out there on Thursday night (or Friday morning in Melbourne, depending on how you look at it) against the Rams. They wouldn’t make that move, especially with Willis having earned $2 million in his career, if they weren’t sure Kittle was ready to roll.
This is massive for the 49ers offense. Will he be on a restriction? That’s still a big unknown. But the simple fact that he could be on the field, leading the charge against a division rival, is an incredible sign for them. They want to start this season with a win over the Rams, and Kittle playing is absolutely huge for those chances. We’ll be watching for sure.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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