The San Francisco 49ers may be getting some major reinforcements against the New England Patriots.
On Thursday, it was revealed that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel had surprisingly begun practicing again ahead of the team’s Week 4 matchup with the New England Patriots.
Well, now, the 49ers have gotten another shocking boost.
Tight end George Kittle, who missed last Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, has said that he is “very excited to play football” and that he is “feeling fantastic,” via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
So, it’s looking like Kittle will be taking the field against the Patriots.
That is another rather stunning development, as it was originally looking like Kittle would be out for multiple weeks, much like Samuel.
But apparently, New England will have to deal with two of San Francisco’s top weapons being back in the lineup.
Kittle has logged 11 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in two games thus far this season. Last year, he hauled in 65 receptions for 1,020 yards and six scores.
The 30-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Iowa, was selected by the Niners in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.
It didn’t take long for Kittle to establish himself as one of the league’s best tight ends, as he racked up 88 grabs for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns as soon as his sophomore campaign.
The 30-year-old has already made five Pro Bowl appearances while also earning a pair of First-Team All-Pro selections.
For a 49ers offense that has labored for the past couple of weeks due to various missing pieces, getting Kittle back in the fold is absolutely huge.
It’s also bad news for the Pats, who spent Week 3 getting blistered by Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
The Patriots are looking to right the ship after losing back-to-back games, but it will certainly be tough against the 49ers this weekend.