George Kittle Injury Update: How Long Will 49ers TE Be Out For?

The San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl chances took a huge blow last week as George Kittle suffered an Achilles injury. Below, we will deliver a Kittle injury update. We will look at how long the star tight end will be out for and when he could potentially return. In addition, we will look at 49ers betting odds as the NFL playoffs roll on.

⏳ How long will George Kittle be out for?

Kittle suffered one of the more devastating injuries a pro athlete can sustain as he tore his Achilles after making a catch against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round.

It can take anywhere from 6-12 months to fully recover from an Achilles tear. The early indications are that Kittle will be on the early side of that projection, meaning he could be ready to play in Week 1 of the 2026-27 NFL season.

Kittle had Achilles surgery this past week.

"I talked to [Kittle] through text," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "He sent a funny picture of him after his surgery to my wife. He seemed like he was feeling pretty good, like most people are right after surgery. But, I heard it went great. I heard it was a very successful surgery and could have a chance to come back a lot sooner than we used to think back in the day with Achilles. So, it was all good news."

Training camp for veteran 49ers started on July 22 of last year. Training camp for 2026 will start around the same time. It would be six months and 11 days from the date of Kittle’s injury on July 22, 2026.

The 49ers will surely ease Kittle back into the fold, even if he is ready at the start of training camp. It’s unlikely he would play in any pre-season games as well. But, Week 1 of the regular season is very much on the table.

The first NFL Sunday of next season will likely take place on Sunday, Sept. 13. If Kittle returns on that date, it would be eight months and two days since he sustained the injury.

🏈 When will George Kittle be back and return to play for 49ers?

The NFL posterchild for a quick Achilles tear recovery is running back Cam Akers. In mid-July of 2021, Akers tore his Achilles. He returned to play just five and a half months later.

Aaron Rodgers famously tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season while a member of the Jets. Had New York been in playoff contention late in that season, it would have been likely that Rodgers would have been able to return despite being 40-years-old at the time.

We project that Kittle will be back in either September or October of the 2026-27 NFL season.

🔴 49ers betting odds

There are eight NFL teams remaining in the hunt to win this year’s Lombardi Trophy. Super Bowl odds show the San Francisco 49ers with the worst odds to win it all among the eight, as they have a +2000 price.

The injury-riddled 49ers are the +7 underdog to the Seattle Seahawks at the best NFL betting sites. The Over/Under for this Divisional Round clash has been set at 44.5 points.