The San Francisco 49ers have received encouraging news regarding their injury situation with the activation of tight end George Kittle from the physically unable to perform list. Kittle, who has been recovering from a torn Achilles sustained during January's playoff victory against the Philadelphia Eagles, has reportedly met all recovery benchmarks set by the team.

Kittle aims to be ready for the 49ers' season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. He expressed his determination saying, "I want to play in every football game that I possibly can play in, but I'm also aware it's an 18-week season. If you miss Week 1 and you're playing Week 2, hey, it is what it is ... I'm just going to keep that as my goal, and then we'll adjust from there if we need to."

His return is a significant boost for a team that has faced numerous injuries. Now at age 32, Kittle has established himself as one of the premier tight ends since joining the 49ers in 2017. Despite missing six games last season, he earned his seventh Pro Bowl selection.

As a certified 49ers legend, Kittle has the opportunity to achieve several franchise milestones in 2026:

• 565 yards away from surpassing Hall of Famer Terrell Owens for second place on the team's career receiving list.
• Close to reaching third in the franchise's all-time receiving touchdowns, behind Owens and Jerry Rice.

Last season, Kittle moved past Owens, securing his position as second in franchise history for career receptions, trailing only Rice.