Jan 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) looks on in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle signed a four-year contract extension worth up to $76.4 million to become the highest-paid player at the position.
General manager John Lynch confirmed the deal on Tuesday morning. Multiple outlets reported the financial components.
“In 2017, our first year with the 49ers, we selected a skinny tight end from Iowa whom we were really excited about. We had high hopes, but no one knew that he would become the player that he is today,” Lynch said in a team statement. “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.”
Multiple reports said Kittle’s new deal includes $40 million guaranteed and would tie the 31-year-old to the team through the 2029 season. He was entering the final season of a deal he signed in 2020.
The podcast “Bussin’ With The Boys” first reported the news on Kittle, whose $19.1 million-per-season contract leapfrogs Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride ($19 million per season) as the league’s top deal for a tight end.
Kittle posted his fourth career 1,000-yard receiving season in 2024, catching 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight scores in 15 games.
The two-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowl selection has 538 receptions for 7,380 yards and 45 touchdowns in 113 games (105 starts) since San Francisco drafted him in the fifth round out of Iowa in 2017.
With Kittle now under contract, the 49ers likely will pivot to finishing a new deal with quarterback Brock Purdy.
Purdy, 25, is heading into the final season of his rookie contract and is looking for a long-term extension as the franchise quarterback. His salary cap hit for 2025 is $5.37 million.
The last player picked in the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy has a 23-13 record as a starter while completing 67.5 percent of his passes for 9,518 yards and 64 TDs with 27 interceptions.
–Field Level Media
