49ERS OPEN WALLET FOR KITTLE
No tight end in NFL history opened a career with a better three years than George Kittle.
For that and so much more, the 49ers are rewarding him with a five-year, $75 million contract extension, a league source and coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed.
“I found out last night and I was able to keep my mouth shut. It’s something we’ve been working on for awhile,” Shanahan told KNBR. “Both sides wanted to get a deal done, and usually it happens, but it’s always a tough deal to work through all that. We finally got it done. Pretty nice, especially before we’re supposed to put on pads and get practicing here in a couple of days.”
Kittle is guaranteed $30 million at signing and $40 million for injury in the richest deal ever for a tight end, as first reported Thursday morning by Barstool Sports.
A fifth-round draft pick in 2017, Kittle was set to make $2.15 million this year to close out his rookie deal. His new contract resets the NFL’s tight end market that was due for a boost, and it comes after he made the Associated Press’ First-Team All-Pro list for the first time while sparking the 49ers to the Super Bowl.
Kittle’s prospects entering his fourth season are bright. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo returns after just completing his first full season as a starter, and the 49ers have taken strides to support Kittle’s workload. That includes the addition of veteran tight end Jordan Reed and the drafting of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, plus the return of injured receivers Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd.
Kittle’s agent, Jack Bechta, has worked diligently for months trying to craft a deal that recognizes Kittle’s unique talents as not only a yards-after-thecatch machine but also a stupendous blocker in one of the NFL’s elite rushing attacks. Kittle has been a team captain the past two seasons, after a 2018 offseason in which he transformed his body into a play-making magnet.
“I think it says a lot about our owner being willing to do this, and I think it says a lot about the person we did it for in George,” Shanahan said.
With Kittle still under contract, the franchise tag available and the 2021 salary cap potentially reduced because of a loss of revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 49ers could have played hardball but instead rewarded one of their best players.
“You have all those issues that go into it, which
makes it very complicated,” Shanahan said. “But when you have a guy like George who is different and is special, it’s not about being the best tight end in the NFL, it’s who he is after that that makes you want to get this stuff done when you don’t actually have to right now. He’s earned it, he does everything the right away.”
Rewarding a homegrown star was a necessary message after the 49ers dealt defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts in March rather than meet his asking price on a new contract.
When Kittle reported to camp on time July 28, general manager John Lynch said on KNBR, “George is such a great fit for what we want to do. He’s a tremendous player. Looking at the vision statement for what we want as a player, George checks every box.”
Receiving and blocking make Kittle the 49ers’ undisputed catalyst to an offense complemented by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and their multilook rushing attack.
A quick recap of Kittle’s resume:
— His 2,945 career receiving yards are the most ever by a NFL tight end through three seasons. That surpassed Mike Ditka (2,774), Rob Gronkowski (2,663) and Jimmy Graham (2,648).
— Teammates picked him last season for the Len Eshmont Award, their most distinguished honor, a year after coaches selected Kittle for the Bill Walsh Award, also an MVP-like accolade. He’s been a team captain the past two years.
— He unseated the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce for AP First-Team All-Pro honors this year after earning second-team honors in 2018 behind Kelce.