George Kittle will make his season debut Sunday after three practices this week. Just before the season, the All-Pro tight end suffered a groin injury.
As a result of injuries during his second contract, Kittle will team with Jimmy Garoppolo in a “new”-look 49ers offense Sunday night. Shanahan said Friday the sixth-year pass catcher won’t have any restrictions heading into the 49ers-Broncos game.
As a pro, Kittle has suffered knee, ankle, foot, and calf injuries. Kittle missed three games due to a calf injury, while his most serious injury was a fractured foot. During that break, many 49er starters, including Garoppolo, missed extended periods of time.
Injuries have interrupted Kittle’s $15M-per-year contract. Injuries plagued Kittle after he signed the extension just before the 2020 season. Still, the Iowa product is one of the best tight ends in the NFL at age 29. With his blocking and receiving abilities, Garoppolo has certainly boosted the 49ers’ Garoppolo-led offenses over the past few years.
Kittle caught 71 passes for 910 yards and six touchdowns despite missing three games last season. He did not quite match his late-2010s numbers – 1,377 yards in 2018 and 1,053 yards in a 14-game slate in 2019 – but the 49ers offense doesn’t exactly have a replacement near his level. The team is in the process of reacclimating Garoppolo and dealing with multiple injuries to running backs (starter Elijah Mitchell and third-round rookie Tyrion Davis-Price).