The San Francisco 49ers have agreed to a four-year contract extension with their star tight end, George Kittle. The deal is for $76.4 million with $40 million guaranteed. There was plenty of speculation circulating about whether Kittle would sign a new deal with the 49ers soon. Especially after Arizona Cardinals tight end, Trey McBride, reset the market with his $76 million deal. San Francisco quarterback, Brock Purdy, will now have one of his favorite targets to pass to for the foreseeable future.
San Francisco 49ers Agree to Four-Year, $76.4 Million Extension With Tight End, George Kittle
George Kittle’s Impact
For the past few seasons, George Kittle has been widely considered a top-five tight end in today’s NFL. There is a reason he is often in the same conversations as Kansas City Chiefs star tight end, Travis Kelce. Last season, Kittle recorded 78 catches for 1,106 yards, and eight touchdowns. The six-time Pro-Bowler also logged 14.2 receiving yards per reception, 5.2 receptions per game, and 73.7 receiving yards per game. Moreover, Kittle also authored a catch percentage of 83.0 percent and a receiving success rate of 73.4 percent. The two-time All-Pro also made history last season becoming one of five tight ends in NFL history to record four or more 1,000-yard receiving seasons. The other tight ends to accomplish this are Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez, and Jason Witten. Considering all of this, one can see why the 49ers gave Kittle a new deal.
“[He’s] better with time,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “Like fine wine. He’s doing a heck of a job. He’s always been great, but the fact that he’s making the plays that he’s making right now at this point in his career has been phenomenal.”
The 49ers are hoping George Kittle and company can bounce back after an injury-riddled season where they finished with a win-loss record of 6-11.
Can the 49ers Bounce Back After an Underwhelming 2024-25 Campaign?
Last year, the 49ers were bit hard by the injury bug. San Francisco has also lost a lot of talent this offseason to free agency. However, with players such as George Kittle, Brock Purdy, and Christian McCaffrey still on the roster, one cannot overlook this team. Remember, McCaffrey missed about half of last year due to injuries.
Injuries are a part of the game, but one cannot deny that a full season from Christian McCaffrey could have altered the landscape of the NFC West. Furthermore, George Kittle now being committed long-term will aid the passing attack. Now, San Francisco must shift their attention to signing quarterback, Brock Purdy, long-term. Especially if they want to have a chance to return to the Super Bowl soon and redeem themselves. All things considered, inking George Kittle to a four-year extension is a good start for the San Francisco 49ers.
