San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tight end George Kittle continues to deal with a nagging groin injury. Could the aliment be enough to force him to miss Week 1 of the regular season?
After playing merely 12 snaps in the 49ers’ preseason final versus the Los Angeles Chargers, Kittle has been held out of practice since. The 49ers general manager, John Lynch, seems to have some level of anguish regarding Kittle’s latest injury.
“I think there’s always a concern when something persists, and this has kind of lingered,” Lynch stated, per 49ers Webzone.
Kittle suffered a similar groin injury before the start of last season, which forced him to miss the first two games of 2022. Unfortunately, the star tight end is no stranger to missing time due to injury. He has missed at least two games in five of his six seasons in the NFL.
However, when he is on the field, there is no denying he is one of the premiere tight ends in football. The four-time Pro-Bowler continues to be a huge part of the 49ers’ offense, whether as a receiver or as an additional blocker on the line of scrimmage. Kittle is often regarded as the best blocking tight end in the NFL.
Last season, Kittle caught 60 passes for 765 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to earning his fourth Pro Bowl nod. Kittle’s absence would be a big loss to start the season when the 49ers travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in a tough road environment.
