George Kittle was back at practice on Monday, kicking off a wild ramp-up for a possible Week 1 return against the Los Angeles Rams. This isn’t just any opener either, we’re talking about a Thursday, September 10th showdown all the way out in Australia. Talk about a high-stakes, cross-global start to the season for the 49ers!
Kittle’s Comeback From The Brink
This isn’t some minor tweak Kittle is shaking off. The man, a monster at 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, was sidelined after tearing his Achilles on January 11th against the Philadelphia Eagles. That’s a brutal injury, but Kittle has been saying all along he’d be back earlier than anyone expected, calling it a “best-case scenario” tear. And guess what? He’s proving himself right. His return to team drills on Monday marks his first real action since that January day. ESPN’s Adam Schefter even reported that Kittle was expected to practice this week with no setbacks, giving him a legitimate shot at suiting up against the Rams. This guy just doesn’t quit.
Shanahan’s Tough Call For Down Under
But here’s where it gets complicated. 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan has a seriously tricky decision on his hands with that monster trip to Melbourne looming. Shanahan said on Monday, “We are going to get them out there in these three days and hope it goes well.” He’s balancing Kittle’s load, not wanting him to go three days straight, so they’re staggering his reps. They’re doing the same with Nick Bosa, who’s on a “little bit different schedule with the three practices.” Kittle himself hinted earlier that it would make more sense for him to skip the journey if he wasn’t going to play, considering that brutal 16-hour flight. Shanahan confirmed that thought, saying it would be “much nicer to make that decision before we left.” Being away from the team for a week, missing meetings and training, is a big deal.
The next few days of practice are everything. Shanahan and the 49ers have a massive call on their hands, balancing Kittle’s health with that monster flight and the first game of their 2026 season. We’ll all be watching to see if Kittle makes that long trip for kickoff, or if they hold him back. What a way to kick off Week 1!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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