The San Francisco 49ers are activating Daniel Kilgore's practice window this week, which means they now have three weeks to either get him back on the 53-man roster, or place him on season-ending injured reserve. Kilgore spoke with the media on Monday, breaking down what's been going on in his rehab, what led to his delayed return, and plenty more. The video above comes courtesy of Niners Digest's Chris Biderman. I have also transcribed it below.
Kilgore said he would like to play this weekend, but realistically that is unlikely. He suggested maybe next week, but obviously would not commit to a specific game. Jim Tomsula and Geep Chryst will probably get some questions about this at their press conferences later this week, but I would not expect any significant answers.
On practice schedule Monday:
I believe we have a walkthrough.
On involvement with that and opening practice window:
Yes. We're opening that three-week window. I'll be out there for the walkthrough.
On timeline:
Definitely the goal would be to play this week, but I'm going to be real with myself, and truthful with myself. Maybe two weeks, so not this week, but maybe next week. Again, we'll just go out here and see how it feels. I've said this before, the biggest thing for me would be the conditioning part. Ankle, leg feels stable. We'll go out there and test it out, and see out of shape I really am.
On offensive line performance through nine games:
You know, obviously there's some things that could be better, but overall, there's been great games we've played. But in games we've won, there's things that we can clean up. I think it's been every year, you don't ever play a perfect game. Not to single anybody out, but guys have played good one game, the next week they don't play the best. We played good enough to win, that's for sure. We'll see how the bye week helped us out, and how we can turn things around after that bye week.
On having strength to win at point of attack:
Oh, for sure. I feel strong enough. I've been doing upper body for the past year, so I better be strong, or something's wrong. I feel good about sustaining blocks, and running with my blocks, and finishing blocks. Again, I can do as much as I can against a dummy or a pad, but until I go against somebody that's breathing, trying to kill me, we'll see then.
On Gabbert's performance thus far and how Kap is handling it:
Blaine, he's been in this position before. Coming from Jacksonville, he's dealt with adversity. Whereas Kap, he had a lot of success at the beginning of his career. They're both doing a great job right now. Kap handling the situation, whatever you can call it, Blaine stepping in, taking control of what he has to do, what his role is. I don't have anything bad to say about either of them. Obviously coach named Blaine the starter for this week, and it's gonna be a true test. Going up to Seattle and seeing how he does in that environment. I think he'll do great.
On teams bunched together, and chance at playoffs:
I don't ever look way ahead into the season. Kind of the old philosophy, you take four games, each quarter. Now that you say that teams are what they are, bunched together, there is that chance. There's a chance for us to win out and earn that spot. Again, we'll take it week-by-week and we'll get through Seattle. That's what's on our mind right now.
On who he is looking forward to going against in practice:
Ian Williams. He and I have always had a friendly, competitive spirit against each other, and it's just going to be fun to go out there again. Just being with the guys, being in the huddle. The only thing I'm not looking forward to is wearing the helmet. That thing's gonna hurt like crazy. Been a year since I've worn it. But it's gonna be good, gonna be exciting.
On weight room gains when only concentrating on upper body:
I mean, sure, I guess. Definitely the biggest thing not being able to run for that long, gotta watch what you eat. I'm 300 pounds already, so I can't get too sloppy. I've gained a little bit, as far as strength-wise, so we'll see how it converts from the weight room to the field.
On how to maintain lower body strength given the injury:
Yea, it was. Dealing with two surgeries, it is difficult. And the same time, getting married this summer, trying to focus on that stuff, and trying to get that stuff. But it was hard to get the strength back in the legs, but now I'm where I was before. I squatted today 500 pounds. Call it strong or weak, whatever you want to do with it. I'm back to where I was.
How many times at 500:
Just once. You work out, your weekly work out.
On doing that squat regularly:
Yea, each week work on squatting. The biggest thing is technique, and making sure everything's in line, and doing the movements safe. not re-injuring myself.
On still having hardware in his ankle:
Oh yea, plate and 12 screws.
On why the recovery took longer than he expected:
You know, there was some gunk, I guess, in the break of the fibula that was blocking the bone growth. And so, went in to replace the hardware, remove the gunk, and do a bone transfer from the hip to inject into that break of the fibula. And at the same time, went to go clean the ankle. Come to find out, had something loose in the ankle too. That was unexpected. So that's what prolonged it, but at the same time, stuff happens, and it's fixed now.
On timing of the bone transfer:
That was June 14, I believe it was the two week window before my marriage, I guess it was.
Which hip:
Left.
Oh if they told him how much:
No, I'm not really sure, exactly.
On if it will stay in the rest of his life:
Yea, I definitely don't want them to have to go back in.