49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk Gives Positive Update on George Kittle's Rehab
Kyle Juszczyk's update on San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's recovery is about as positive as anyone could have hoped for.
One would imagine suffering a torn Achilles in the playoffs would set Kittle back significantly heading into the new season. But when you're as relentlessly optimistic and driven as he is, that mindset changes everything. In every interview, Kittle has made it clear he's attacking his rehab and striving for a quicker recovery despite suffering the most serious injury of his career.
Kittle has repeatedly set the goal of returning for Week 1. Obviously, he'll miss most, if not all, of the preseason, OTAs and training camp, but with his recovery ahead of schedule, the prospect of playing in Melbourne, Australia, feels like the opposite of a distant pipe dream.
His best friend on the roster, Juszczyk, who is entering his 10th season in the City by the Bay alongside Kittle, provided one of the most encouraging updates yet on the tight end's rehab from one of the most difficult injuries an athlete can suffer.
"George looks great. As he mentioned a couple days ago, he really is ahead of schedule," shared Juszczyk on NFL's The Insiders Podcast.
"He was impressive just last week, seeing him running zig zag, making cuts, actually hitting 16 MPH. I've been super impressed. He's got another 2 months or so to get even better.
"It's been enjoyable to watch him go through this process because he attacks it as such a professional. He makes it a point that no matter what we're doing, even when we're down in Cabo and we're celebrating Christian McCaffrey's birthday and we're golfing, that guy find his time to rehab.
"Whether it's early in the morning, late at night, he is always grinding. I really do think he's going to beat some expected timetables. When he does come back, whenever that is, I think he's going to come out there and be the George Kittle we all know and love."
The 49ers can't bank on Kittle returning for Week 1, nor should that be the expectation. That's the right approach to take.
But Kittle is showing exactly how fortunate the 49ers are to have him, much like Fred Warner did when he poured everything into his rehab after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 6 last season.
Had San Francisco reached the NFC Championship Game, Warner would have been ready to play. Kittle appears to be attacking his recovery with that same mindset, which is exactly what makes him such an integral part of the franchise.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as 49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk Gives Positive Update on George Kittle's Rehab.
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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 6:00 AM.