George Kittle played a significant role in the 49ers’ journey to the Super Bowl, albeit not at peak performance. The All-Pro tight end underwent core muscle surgery during the offseason and recently shared an update on his recovery.
“It was tough, but I’m feeling great now, which is fantastic,” Kittle mentioned on the Bussin’ With the Boys Podcast (via Will Simonds of NBC Sports Bay Area). “I’d say I’m almost back to 100 percent.”
This aligns with Kittle’s previous updates on his condition. The 30-year-old aims to participate in training camp next month, assuming his rehab stays on track. In addition to his core muscle injury, Kittle also dealt with rib and toe issues, which prevented him from working out for a period after the Super Bowl.
“I couldn’t lift,” the three-time Pro Bowler explained. “I couldn’t do any upper body exercises because of my shoulder and rib injuries, and I couldn’t do lower body workouts due to my core surgery… I didn’t lift from the Super Bowl until nearly mid-March. I went a month without doing anything because I wasn’t supposed to.”
Kittle mentioned that this break led to a weight loss of nearly 30 pounds. He has since regained most of that weight, and the remaining time before training camp should allow him to return to his playing weight. Expectations are high for the Iowa alum in his seventh season with the 49ers after surpassing 1,000 yards for the third time last season. Kittle is a crucial part of San Francisco’s offensive core, which is expected to stay together for at least another year.
Furthermore, the former fifth-round pick might pursue a contract extension with new guaranteed money. Much of Kittle’s strategy on this front will depend on his performance in 2024. If he fully recovers in the coming weeks, he is well-positioned for another productive season.
