Overview
- A training video Kittle posted shows him using smelling salts and deadlifting 665 pounds on a hex bar during a session with strength coach Josh Cuthbert, and he told fans he is ahead of schedule in rehab.
- Kittle has set a goal of being available for the 49ers’ Week 1 trip to Melbourne to face the Rams, but the team has not medically cleared him to play.
- Torn Achilles recoveries typically take nine to 12 months, which makes an early return uncertain and raises concerns about the effects of the travel and condensed preseason on his readiness.
- Kittle has combined standard rehab with supplemental measures, including a three‑day visit to the StemCell Institute in Panama and intensive work at the team facility.
- His progress matters for San Francisco’s offensive planning because Kittle is a top‑tier tight end, and the 49ers must balance short‑term availability with his long‑term health and other players’ recoveries.