Moments after wrapping up his eighth NFL season, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle made it abundantly clear: he intends to finish his career where it all began—with the 49ers.
On Tuesday, Kittle solidified his commitment by signing a four-year contract extension that will keep him with the only team he’s ever known through the 2029 season. The deal, which Kittle revealed during an appearance on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, is reportedly worth $76.4 million.
The extension is substantial in more ways than one. It carries $40 million in guaranteed money and is set to reduce Kittle’s previously scheduled 2025 salary cap hit of $22.085 million—an amount that would have been almost $10 million above his highest cap hit to date.
Reflecting on Kittle’s journey, 49ers General Manager John Lynch expressed how excited they were to select what they initially saw as a promising yet raw talent back in 2017. “In our first year with the 49ers, we selected a skinny tight end from Iowa whom we were really excited about,” Lynch stated. “We had high hopes, but no one knew that he would become the player that he is today. 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.”
Kittle, now 31 years old, has been vocal about his passion for playing in the red and gold, stating his aspiration to “wear the red and gold my entire career.” While this latest contract extension doesn’t guarantee that he will fulfill that dream, it certainly enhances his chances of achieving a notable milestone: joining the 49ers’ 10-year club. This exclusive group honors players who have spent at least a decade with the franchise—an honor that has not seen a new member since Joe Staley hung up his cleats in 2017.
With the 2025 season marking Kittle’s ninth year in the league, he would need to play just one more year under this contract to secure his place in the club—a “huge goal” he hopes to accomplish.
If Kittle maintains the level of performance we’ve come to expect, the odds are in his favor. Coming off one of his finest seasons, Kittle shined in 2024, ranking third among tight ends in receiving yards with 1,106, tying for second in touchdowns with eight, and leading the league with an impressive 14.2 yards per reception. His dual-threat capabilities as both a receiver and blocker have been critical in bolstering San Francisco’s running game, earning him his sixth Pro Bowl selection and another All-Pro nod (a second-team honor that marked his fifth time on one of the All-Pro teams).
Kittle’s achievements also put him in elite company; he became one of only five tight ends in NFL history to record four or more 1,000-yard receiving seasons. The company he now keeps includes legends like Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez, and Jason Witten. Additionally, he surpassed Gronkowski for the second-most receiving yards by a tight end in their first eight seasons in the league, amassing 7,380 yards—trailing only Kelce.
Kittle’s teammates have taken notice of his evolution as a player. Linebacker Fred Warner remarked, “He’s better with time. 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.”
As Kittle embarks on this next chapter, both he and the 49ers fans will be eagerly watching to see if he can achieve his ambitious goals and continue to elevate his already impressive legacy in San Francisco.
