Once the 2023 season came to a close, star San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle underwent core surgery. In the recovery from that surgery, Kittle was faced with a massive hurdle.
Unable to workout much post operation, the tight end said he dropped all the way down to 214 lbs. However, now recovered from his core injury, Kittle confirmed that he is back to his playing weight at 243, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic.
While he may be healthy now heading intro training camp, Kittle had a long road to recovery. He admitted the lengths to which his training ability was limited on Bussin' with the Boys in May.
“I couldn't lift. I couldn't do any upper body because of my shoulder and my rib, and I couldn't do lower body because of my core surgery,” Kittle said. “I didn't lift from the Super Bowl until like almost mid-March. I went a month without doing anything, I wasn't supposed to do anything.”
The offseason surgery will help affect an injury that George Kittle said affected him for over half the 2023 season. Despite that longevity, it was hard to tell at times as the tight end caught 65 passes for 1,020 yards and six touchdowns. It was his first 1,000+ yard season since 2019.
The 49ers are hoping it isn't the last as Kittle will remain a key cog in the offense. At his natural playing weight, he should have no problems making plays on the open field. But his offseason progression shows how hard it is to survive in the NFL and what it takes to get your body ready for the rigors of a full season.
Now healthy, Kittle enters training camp simply looking to remain on the gridiron. Week 1 is when he will truly be unleashed. The 49ers are counting on Kittle's contributions as they look to get over their Super Bowl speed bump.
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