The San Francisco 49ers took a concerning decision by placing tight end George Kittle on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. This might indicate Kittle is recovering very slowly from his Achilles tear.
Now, as for good news, 49ers’ general manager John Lynch still said that he is “optimistic on all of them [Kittle, Isaac Guerendo, Alfred Collins] hitting the practice field sooner than later.”
This is not a full indictment, as players can be moved off the PUP list at any point during camp. The problem is if they transition from the active training camp list to the Reserve/PUP list at the final 53-man roster cutdown deadline. This forces them to sit out a minimum of the first four regular-season games.
Kittle’s recovery is a tough one
Kittle suffered a torn right Achilles on January. Given that this injury usually takes from nine to 12 months to recover, Kittle is on track, though hopes of him getting the nod for a Week 1 appearance are decreasing.
Doctors say George Kittle healed quickly but work still has to be done to rule him ready for Week 1. pic.twitter.com/WEqgO2xprR
— Matt Lively (@mattblively) July 25, 2026
As of now, Kittle should be scheduled to come back between Week 4 and 6 of the NFL season if it slows down a bit. Kittle is a key component of this offense, so the Niners need him to come back at his fullest.
Kittle could miss key games for the 49ers
While the 49ers want him ready by Week 1, or Week 2 at worse, the fact is this is a very tough injury to overcome. If he comes back, cautiously, for a Week 5 encounter, Kittle would miss the following games:
- Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 10 at Los Angeles Rams (in Australia)
- Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 20 vs. Miami Dolphins
- Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 27 vs. Arizona Cardinals
- Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 4 vs. Denver Broncos
