MELBOURNE - George Kittle and Nick Bosa are expected to dress for the San Francisco 49ers' regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams. That is no longer the question. How long either stays on the field is.
Speaking Wednesday from AAMI Park, head coach Kyle Shanahan said the staff will manage both stars rather than chase their usual Week 1 workloads at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Kittle is back from a torn Achilles; Bosa is returning from a torn ACL. Availability is the floor. Usage is the plan.
"We've got to be smart with that," Shanahan said, according to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco and a 49ers Webzone transcript. "Bosa not practicing as much. Kittle, he's had this whole week. But they both look great and stuff, but we've definitely got to be smart with that."
Two recoveries, one kickoff
Kittle was activated off the physically unable to perform list about two weeks ago, Maiocco reported. He tore his right Achilles in the 49ers' wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Jan. 11 and underwent surgery three days later. Bosa's first 11-on-11 work came the day the club boarded its flight to Australia on Sept. 2.
His 2025 season ended with a torn ACL in his right knee on Sept. 21 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Both were limited in Tuesday's practice as preparations continued. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris left little doubt about Bosa's intent for game day.
"Nick Bosa, he's going out there," Morris said. "Whatever you want to say, he's going. He will be there. We're not hiding that."
Both players are in the plan. Shanahan is tying snap counts to practice volume and how they feel as the week closes - not to a public full-go declaration.
Donald news does not rewrite the plan
News that Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald would not travel prompted a follow-up: would San Francisco loosen the leash on Kittle and Bosa? Shanahan shut that down.
Aaron Donald is "irrelevant" to those decisions, Shanahan said in the Webzone transcript. The plan rests on how the practice week has gone - "and it's been great." "We'll see based off of how they feel on Friday how long they can go."
Donald's absence does not buy either 49er a heavier early-season workload. Minutes still track surgical timelines, not who lines up across from them.
