George Kittle, a fifth-round pick in 2017, reaches a deal at a critical time for the Niners, who have let several key contributors walk in free agency.
The San Francisco 49ers have locked up their star tight end for the long term.
The 49ers announced Tuesday that they had signed George Kittle to a four-year contract extension. The full details of the deal—$76.4 million in total value with $40 million in guarantees—were initially broken by former NFL players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan of the
Bussin' with the Boys podcast. Kittle, a fifth-round draft pick of the 49ers in 2017, is now on his third contract with the team.
“We selected a skinny tight end from Iowa whom we were really excited about,” 49ers president of football operations and general manager John Lynch said in an
announcement on the team’s website. “We had high hopes, but no one knew that he would become the player that he is today.”
“George’s leadership, enthusiasm for the game, for his teammates, and the faithful are truly unique and special. He is an outstanding representation for the 49ers on the field and is an outstanding representative for the organization off the field with his investment in the local and military communities. He has a great sense of pride in his role and has put in the work to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL.”
Drafted by the Niners with the 146th overall pick, Kittle won the starting job in his rookie season. He played in 15 games with seven starts, catching 43 passes for 515 yards and two touchdowns. In his second season, he had career highs in receptions (88) and yards (1,377), with five touchdowns. He had another 1,000-yard receiving season in 2019 with another five TDs, and had five carries for 22 yards. He played just eight games in 2020, with 634 yards and two touchdowns. He had 910 yards and six TDs in 2021; he had 765 yards in 2022 with a career-high 11 touchdowns. He had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024, with six TDs in 2023 and eight last season.
Kittle has two First Team All-Pro selections and three Second Team All-Pros. He also has six Pro Bowl selections, including four consecutive nods from 2021-2024. Kittle holds the NFL record for most receiving yards in a half by a tight end with 210, and the most yards by a tight end in his first three seasons with 2,945. He became the first tight end to lead the NFL in
yards after the catch with 870. He owns the 49ers’ single-season records for receiving yards (1,377) and receptions (88), the single-game record for receiving yards by a tight end (210), and most Pro Bowl selections by a tight end in a career (six). He was the first tight end in 49ers history to surpass 1,000 yards receiving and has the most 1,000-yard seasons by a tight end with four.
The deal makes Kittle the
highest-paid tight end in the league, just ahead of Trey McBride’s deal with the Arizona Cardinals.
Kittle’s record-setting deal comes at a critical time for the Niners. After the
first wave of free agency, the 49ers had the sixth-highest cap space in the NFL—just over $43.7 million, according to Spotrac. However, they also have the highest amount of dead money in the league—more than $77 million in salaries for players who are no longer with the team. San Francisco has two more players designated as post-June 1 cuts—defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins—which will make that dead cap figure even higher.
As a result, the 49ers were forced to let several key contributors walk in free agency. Cornerback Charvarius Ward signed with the Indianapolis Colts; safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw both signed with the Denver Broncos; guard Aaron Banks signed with the Green Bay Packers; tackle Jaylon Moore signed with the Kansas City Chiefs; Hargrave signed with the Minnesota Vikings; and linebacker Leonard Floyd signed with the Atlanta Falcons. The team also traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders.
Furthermore, quarterback
Brock Purdy is in the last year of his rookie contract and on the verge of a massive payday. According to Spotrac, his market value sits at $59.7 million annually. If he signs a market-value contract, it would make him the second-highest paid player in the entire NFL.
