​Will George Kittle be ready for training camp? Probably not. But when it comes to Week 1 readiness, Kyle Juszczyk remains hopeful. The San Francisco 49ers fullback spoke with Matt Maiocco at the American Century Championship golf tournament in South Lake Tahoe, offering his thoughts on the rookies and Kittle’s appearance at Kittle’s Tight End University. Juszczyk’s optimism from that day persists, and he shared it with Maiocco: “I really did feel that way. I was so impressed by the way he was moving, and I was impressed by what I saw the last week of OTAs, how he was moving. He was doing this zigzag drill, and he told me he had reached about 16 miles an hour that day. I was already impressed with that. But then, seeing him go through that warm-up, I was like, ‘Wow, I really do think there is a chance that he’s ready for Week 1.’”
Kittle has already provided a rehab update a couple of weeks ago, indicating he was ahead of schedule. The challenge is that the ahead-of-schedule target was set for mid-November, not Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, which opens in early September. A full season of elite production at tight end would undoubtedly help Kittle reclaim his place atop the annual tight end rankings.
The 49ers begin their season with an international kickoff, facing the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, for Week 1. If there’s ever a Week 1 that could benefit from having Kittle on the field, this would be it. Juszczyk’s assessment suggests a Week 1 return is possible, but the more realistic target remains mid-November. However, if Kittle continues to progress at this pace and maintains the speed he demonstrated—reaching 16 miles per hour during drills—earlier returns than November can’t be ruled out.
Still, there is caution in the air. A return ahead of schedule would be a welcome surprise, but the priority is avoiding a premature comeback that could lead to another setback. The team and fans would prefer Kittle to be fully healthy and ready, even if that means waiting beyond Week 1. In the meantime, Juszczyk’s optimistic read offers a glimmer of hope that Kittle could defy the initial timeline and be back on the field sooner than expected. If Week 1 comes and Kittle isn’t yet ready, the focus will remain on a safe, sustainable return, with November serving as the more concrete benchmark for a full return to form. Regardless of the exact date, the anticipation surrounding Kittle’s rehab continues to build, underscoring how pivotal his eventual comeback could be for the 49ers’ attacking dynamic in 2026.