Kittle returns to practice, eyes return against Packers
SANTA CLARA » Tight end George Kittle’s enthusiastic return to practice Thursday has him eyeing a spotlight that’s eluded him in his 49ers career: “Sunday Night Football.”
After missing the past two games with still- unspecified knee and ankle injuries, Kittle wants nothing more than to ditch that view from Levi’s Stadium’s luxury suites and join the 49ers (9-1) for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers (8-2).
“I’ve yet to play in a Sunday night game in my career, so I’m really looking forward to that, and it’s just going to be an absolute blast,” said Kittle, who earlier noted that the 49ers medical staff and coaches ultimately must give him clearance.
Kittle wore a blue, nocontact jersey and looked refreshed running routes during a brief, media-access window Thursday.
It would be a timely return, not just to face the Packers but for ensuing road games against other 8-2 teams: the Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints.
“It’s awesome, are you kidding me,” Kittle said. “This is what you practice for, what you put all the hard work in at OTAs and all summer, to be in bigtime games. We’re looking forward to it.”
He bowed out of the 49ers’ Oct. 31 win at Arizona, but only after play
ing through pain to his knee and ankle for three quarters, the result of a hit he sustained on the 49ers’ opening snap. Kittle said that extra effort did not worsen his injuries.
And what exactly ails him? He deferred to coach Kyle Shanahan for the big reveal, but Shanahan also has stayed mum, so Kittle simply referred to it in hockey parlance as a “lower-body injury.”
The past two games, Kittle was sequestered in a seventh-floor luxury suite, for precautionary purposes. Otherwise ...
“I’d steal a helmet,” Kittle quipped. “No, they just didn’t want me standing on it. It was a lower-body injury, so it doesn’t really make a lot of sense to stand on it for three or four hours, to fatigue it.”
The Packers are an alluring opponent, not only because of their status or Kittle’s long-time admiration of them, but also last year’s contest in which the 49ers blew a late lead and lost 3330 at Lambeau Field.
“Every game is a big game, but definitely an 8-2 Packers team coming in, definitely battling for the NFC, it’s definitely a massive game. It’s one I don’t want to miss,” Kittle said.
“Last year we let one get away from us. But a new opportunity to get them in our house and I’m really looking forward to that. They’re a great team, and I love watching Aaron Rodgers play. Getting to see that will be fun.”
Earlier this month, the 49ers and Packers got f lexed into the primetime slot, as opposed to the 49ers losing their only “Sunday Night Football” date last season against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 13. The 49ers haven’t played on Sunday night since 2015.
Kittle remains the 49ers’ leading receiver (46 catches, 541 yards) despite missing the Nov. 11 loss to Seattle and Sunday’s 3626 comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals. Tight end Ross Dwelley had a career- high two touchdown catches last game to help offset Kittle’s absence, though Dwelley’s run blocking was not up to Kittle’s level that game.
Kittle’s official status for Sunday’s game will be assigned after Friday’s walkthrough session; he was listed as “doubtful” the previous two games he missed.
• Rookie defensive end Nick Bosa leads all NFL defenders in Pro Bowl online voting. Most votes among AFC defensive ends is his older brother, Joey, of the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I think Joey deserves it, for sure, and I think I deserve it,” Nick Bosa said. “It’s pretty awesome to see what this fan base is. It’s one of the truest, and it’s all over the country. There are 49ers fans everywhere.”
But what about the Chargers’ fan base? “Joey’s play speaks for itself,” Nick added. “I guess people are starting to like us a little bit.”
Three other 49ers lead at their positions in the fans’ NFC balloting: Kittle, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and cornerback Richard Sherman.
• Wide receivers Deebo Samuel (shoulder) and Emmanuel Sanders (ribs) were limited after sitting out Wednesday’s session. Samuel wore a no- contact jersey and did not run any routes in warmups during the media access.
Running back Matt Breida (ankle) and defensive end Dee Ford (hamstring) remained out of practice but did conditioning drills on a side field and looked good doing so.
Left tackle Joe Staley (finger) worked out in the weight room with a splint on his surgically repaired right hand. He is expected to miss his second straight game and eighth of the season, having missed Weeks 3-9 with a fractured fibula.
Kicker Ro b b i e Gould(quadriceps) has not practiced since getting hurt Nov. 5 in practice.