The San Francisco 49ers’ elite playmaker, George Kittle, has been a reliable tight end ever since they drafted him 146th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. Since then, Kittle has developed into one of the top players at the position, finishing second in receptions and receiving yards and third in receiving touchdowns by a tight end in that span, according to StatMuse. He has 538 receptions for 7,380 yards and 45 touchdowns, along with six Pro Bowls and two First-Team All-Pro selections.
The San Francisco 49ers’ star enters the final year of his deal
George Kittle enters the final year of his 5-year, $75 million contract extension, which he signed during the 2020 offseason. He is scheduled to earn a $14.4 million base salary along with a $22 million cap hit in 2025. He is currently the fourth-highest-paid player at his position, and he wants a contract extension, which would make him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history.
Kittle missed the first few days of voluntary workouts, but he showed up later last week amid his desire for a new contract. According to Michael Silver of The Athletic, the 49ers and their star TE were “far apart” in ongoing contract negotiations, with doubts about reaching an agreement anytime soon.
2) There has been some progress toward a multi-year extension for Purdy that will likely pay him more than $50 million a year. The question is, how much progress? If Purdy shows up on Tuesday, it’s a sign that he and his agent believe they are very close to striking a deal. If he…
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) April 21, 2025
The San Francisco 49ers announced a record-breaking contract
According to Will Compton and Taylor Lewan of Bussin’ With The Boys, the 49ers and George Kittle have agreed to a monster contract extension, making him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history. As Compton and Lewan point out, the deal is for four years and is worth $76.4 million, with $40 million in total guarantees.
BREAKING: George Kittle signs extension with 49ers per Bussin’ With The Boys
4 years, $76.4M ($19.1M/year)
$40M total guaranteed ($35M at signing + $5M in ‘27)Please credit The Boys properly @bussinwtb, @_willcompton, @TaylorLewan77 pic.twitter.com/Pwfmf643vq
— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) April 29, 2025
Here’s a look at the five-highest-paid TEs in the NFL
- George Kittle: $19.1 million
- Trey McBride: $19 million
- Travis Kelce: $17.125 million
- T.J. Hockenson: $16.5 million
- Dallas Goedert: $14.25 million
