SANTA CLARA — George Kittle hasn’t given Kyle Shanahan any reason to think about his Achilles tendon since their season opener. That was also about the last time it crossed the mind of the 49ers star tight end that he was on an operating table less than nine months ago.
But for anybody else who had their doubts about Kittle’s ability to return to full strength without missing a regular season game after tearing his Achilles on Jan. 11, well, those should have been put to rest somewhere in a span of seven seconds or so late in the fourth quarter Sunday.
That’s about as much time that elapsed between Kittle catching a screen pass from Brock Purdy around the San Francisco 40-yard line and streaking across the goal line, 56 yards downfield.
He might have gotten there even faster if Kittle didn’t have his eyes on former teammate Talanoa Hufanga trailing him on the scoreboard above the south end zone.
“It looked like he needs to carry the ball through the end zone, not watch the scoreboard with Huf chasing him,” Shanahan joshed, “but it was a hell of a play by him and perfect timing.”
The touchdown cemented the Niners’ 24-14 win after Denver had cut their lead to a field goal and announced to the rest of the NFL: The People’s Tight End is back.
“I’d love to say I’m shocked, but I’m not. That’s just who he is,” running back Christian McCaffrey said. “He attacks everything at full speed, and always has the best attitude, so it’s no shock that George Kittle is playing like George Kittle.”
Kittle admitted that he was still getting into game shape in Week 1 after spending almost all of training camp completing the final stages of his rehab. He’s sure looked like himself ever since, hauling in touchdown passes in all three games — four total — on 14 catches for 242 yards.
Kittle had tested his repaired tendon in every manner. He delivered the hard blocks that he loves and re-established his connection with Purdy.
But there was one thing left for him to prove between the lines.
Back in 2018, Kittle reached 20 mph on a 71-yard touchdown. He touted that he was routinely clocked at those speeds in closed conditions during his rehab process.
Eight years and one major surgery later, he showed that he was no slower off.
Kittle topped out at 19.86 mph as he outraced Hufanga to the end zone, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, the second-fastest speed by a tight end in the NFL this season — and right back where Kittle expects to be.
“That part was really fun,” he said. “Anytime you see green grass. I think I ran the entire way with a smile on my face, so that was pretty fun. Always outrunning younger teammates is a great time, especially when they’re 26.”
Kittle said that when he awoke from the operation, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed the surgery, told him that he could make it back by Week 1 if he attacked his rehab the right way.
While Kittle said he “felt totally weird” during the opener in Australia, “from Week 2 and on, I had so much confidence in it and haven’t looked back since,” he said.
“George and his speed and just who he is, I was like, ‘No one’s going to stop him.’” Purdy said. “So that was really cool. Electric play call for Kyle to call that right then and there with them blitzing. It was just perfect timing.”
