Overview
- Kittle told reporters he expects to be back well before November after tearing his right Achilles on Jan. 11 against the Eagles.
- He had surgery in Los Angeles performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who described the injury as a best-case scenario because the tear was clean and higher on the tendon.
- Kittle said the procedure did not require drilling into his heel and that greater blood flow at the repair site could speed recovery.
- He hinted a return near the 2026 opener, while head coach Kyle Shanahan called the operation very successful and noted a chance of an earlier-than-usual comeback.
- With offseason planning underway, outside analysis suggests the 49ers could add tight end depth to avoid rushing Kittle for Week 1.