The San Francisco 49ers are looking to bounce back in 2025. Their 2024 campaign was tough to watch as they finished 6-11 and last place in their division. It was especially surprising given that San Francisco appeared in the Super Bowl just the year before.
However, it would appear they’re going to hold on to one of their own.
Breaking: 49ers Backed Out Of Franchise-Altering Trade (Report)
Having signed a four-year extension with the San Francisco 49ers, George Kittle is set to finish his career with the team. One club, however, tried to lure the star tight end away from the Bay Area days before he agreed to that extension:
As The Athletic reports, the Niners spoke with a team interested in acquiring Kittle via trade the night before the 2025 NFL Draft began. That club even offered a second-round pick in exchange for Kittle.
Despite that, the 49ers rejected the offer and, less than a week later, reached an agreement on a four-year, $76.4 million extension that made Kittle the highest-paid tight end in the NFL (on an average annual basis) and locked in his future with the organization. Before that extension, Kittle was entering the final year of his previous contract.
Given that Kittle is set to turn 32 during the 2025 season on top of his contractual status at the time of those trade talks, a second-round pick would’ve quite the return for general manager John Lynch.
That said, the franchise clearly views him as an instrumental piece not only to reject the trade offer, but to then double down on Kittle with the extension.
While Kittle’s age would tell you he’s on the back-nine of his career, he’s still producing as one of the league’s best tight ends. He’s been named an All-Pro in each of the last three seasons and a Pro Bowler over the last four.
In 2024, he topped 1,000 yards receiving for the second-straight year, finishing the campaign with 78 receptions, 1,106 yards, and eight touchdowns. Those receiving yards and receiving touchdown totals were the second-best of his career.
Here is a look at Kittle’s career stats:
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2017 | SF | 15 | 7 | 43 | 515 | 12.0 | 44 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | SF | 16 | 16 | 88 | 1,377 | 15.6 | 85T | 5 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | SF | 14 | 14 | 85 | 1,053 | 12.4 | 61T | 5 | 5 | 22 | 4.4 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020 | SF | 8 | 8 | 48 | 634 | 13.2 | 44T | 2 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | SF | 14 | 14 | 71 | 910 | 12.8 | 48 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | SF | 15 | 15 | 60 | 765 | 12.8 | 54T | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | SF | 16 | 16 | 65 | 1,020 | 15.7 | 66T | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | SF | 15 | 15 | 78 | 1,106 | 14.2 | 43 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 113 | 105 | 538 | 7,380 | 13.7 | 85T | 45 | 12 | 71 | 5.9 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 2 | |
