The San Francisco 49ers defeated the NFL’s defending champion Philadelphia Eagles 23–19 in an NFC Wild Card at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
What was most impressive was that the 49ers closed out the win despite losing star tight end George Kittle early in the first half.
Video replay showed Kittle suffering a ruptured right Achilles and being immediately carted off, and the 49ers later ruled him out of the game.
While initial reports suggested a lengthy recovery, prominent NFL medical analyst Dr. David J. Chao posted on X on Monday that Kittle is expected to start the season on the PUP list but is not being ruled out for the entire 2026 season, hinting that a midseason return remains possible depending on surgery and rehab progress.
Standard management for a complete Achilles rupture in elite athletes is surgical repair followed by staged rehabilitation, with typical return-to-competition timelines around nine to 18 months, and many elite athletes targeting the 12-month mark.
Outcomes vary by position, age, and rehab quality, but Kittle’s 32-year-old profile and injury history previously suggested his return could be toward the longer end of that timeline.
His previous setbacks include a fractured foot with an MCL sprain in 2020, a Grade-3 hamstring tear in 2025 that cost him five games, and multiple ankle sprains late in 2025.
Notable recent NFL Achilles comebacks include RB Cam Akers, who returned in under six months after a July 2021 tear, and QB Aaron Rodgers, who was cleared for limited practice roughly 11 weeks after his 2023 repair following an expedited surgical approach.
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Kittle is an established elite tight end, holding seven Pro Bowl selections, five All-Pro nods, four 1,000-yard seasons in his nine-year NFL career, and a reputation as an elite run-blocker and short-area playmaker.
In April 2025, he signed a four-year, $76.4 million extension with the 49ers, keeping him under contract through the 2029 season.
Kittle followed that commitment with another strong 2025 season, recording 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns across just 11 regular-season games, serving as a primary security valve in the 49ers’ offense when healthy.
If Kittle returns during the 2026 regular season, as Chao suggested is possible, the 49ers would regain a reliable red-zone target, an intermediate passing weapon, and an elite in-line blocker, factors that could materially improve the team’s chances of making another deep playoff run.
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