George Kittle reveals what keeps him going during his Achilles recovery (Image via: IG/X)George Kittle has already achieved more than most NFL players dream of, but the San Francisco 49ers star believes he still has plenty left to accomplish. As he prepares for his 10th season with the franchise, Kittle remains focused on getting back on the field after suffering a season ending Achilles injury during the 2025 playoffs.The veteran tight end has stayed positive throughout his recovery, while the 49ers continue to hope he will be ready for the start of the new season. At the same time, Kittle recently shared what continues to motivate him after nearly a decade in the league, offering fans a glimpse into the mindset that has helped make him one of the NFL's best tight ends.George Kittle says his passion for football and family continues to push him forward every dayReaching a 10th season with one NFL team is an achievement very few players experience. Kittle is now one of the longest serving members of the 49ers roster and has built a career that includes 595 receptions, 8,008 receiving yards and 52 touchdowns in 124 regular season games.Speaking about what has kept him motivated over the years, Kittle made it clear that his love for football, support from his family and appreciation for every opportunity continue to fuel him despite the challenges of recovering from a major injury."You know, it's just I love football and I'm very aware that you have so many years to play this awesome game," he said."And so, I'm going to do everything I can to play as long as I possibly can. It's not really hard for me to be motivated every single day."Like, I wake up, you know, my wife loves me, my family's healthy and I get paid to play football. So, what I'm going to do is try my best to take advantage of my opportunity to play football."Whether that's training a lot, being on the field as much as I can be, recovering as best as I can, that's really easy for me. And then, I like to surround myself with like-minded people. So, you know, I train with a bunch of other NFL guys in the offseason at my place in Tennessee."And it's just like you're always, you know, it's good for the team morale, but you're also comparing yourself and competing with the guys you're working out with."So, like, you're always seeing me compare with other guys across the league. I love the game and I also believe there's football gods, so you get out what you put into it, and you know, it's done pretty well by me."The 49ers believe George Kittle's return could be the boost their offense needsWhile Kittle continues working his way back, his recovery remains one of the biggest storylines for San Francisco heading into training camp. He tore his right Achilles during the team's Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in January, forcing the 49ers to finish their playoff run without one of their most reliable offensive weapons.Kittle has previously said he expects to return well before November, while general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have both expressed optimism that he could even be available for Week 1. The season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia would also be the NFL's first regular season game on the continent, making his progress even more closely watched.