Do the 49ers need to save Kittle from himself?
SANTA CLARA » The hard truth is that of late, it’s been easier to find George Kittle in the training room than on the field.
That will change Sunday when the 49ers (3-4) host the Arizona Cardinals (7-1) at Levi’s Stadium, with Kittle expected to resume his duties as the starting tight end after missing three games because of a calf injury that also affected his Achilles.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Kittle will be activated off injured reserve Saturday.
“I feel good,” Kittle said. “Doing what I can to be prepared for Sunday. Not practicing, definitely some rust there. But just getting back out there, it’s like riding a bike, I guess. Catch the ball, run some routes. Hit some people. It’s football.”
And football means everything to Kittle, the most prolific receiving tight end in franchise history in 2018-19 with 173 receptions, 2,430 yards and 10 touchdowns. His numbers, plus passion and aggression bordering on violence, are what earned Kittle a five-year contract worth a maximum of $75 million, a per-year average of $15 million that makes him the highest-paid player at his position.
Since signing the deal, Kittle’s luck went south in terms of durability. The 49ers have played 23 games since he put pen to paper and Kittle has played in 12 games and missed 11.
In 2020, a left knee strain put Kittle on the shelf for two games after a Week 1 loss to Arizona. Later, Kittle had a foot fracture which put him on injured reserve. He missed six games, returning to play in Weeks 16 and 17.
This season, Kittle played nearly every snap in four games before being injured against Seattle in Week 4.