It was a matter of time before San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle got a new contract to make him at least the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL.
That time was Tuesday, with news Kittle and the Niners agreed to a four-year, $76.4 million contract extension with $40 million guaranteed.
With an annual average of $19.1 million, Kittle edges out the recently-extended Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals as the highest-paid tight end in the league. Still, when weighed against the boom in the wide receiver market, and his status as the best all-around tight end in the NFL, Kittle's new contract lands as a bargain.
But of course, as is virtually always the case with big NFL contracts, there's a little devil in the details. And as good as he is, with no signs of a looming performance decline, Kittle is also entering his age-32 season with a bit of injury history on his resume.
Contract details show 49ers eliminated risk with George Kittle
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk had the finer details of Kittle's contract, and here's how it breaks down.
1. $18.145 million signing bonus-$3 million to be paid by May 9, 2025, $8.145 million to be paid by Sept. 12, 2025, and $7 million to be paid by April 3, 2026.
2025
Base salary: $1.255 million, fully guaranteed
Offseason workout bonus: $100,000, fully guaranteed but must be earned
Per-game roster bonus: $500,000 total, fully guaranteed but must be earned
2026
Base salary: $12.4 million, fully guaranteed
$10.9 million may be paid as an option bonus
Offseason workout bonus: $100,000, fully guaranteed
Per-game roster bonus: $500,000 total, fully guaranteed but must be earned
2027
Base salary: $17.15 million, fully guaranteed
$2 million fully guaranteed at signing
$5 million guaranteed based on performance (see below)
$15.5 million may be paid as an option bonus
Offseason workout bonus: $100,000
Per- game roster bonus: $750,000 total
2028
Base salary: $17.15 million
$15.4 million may be paid as an option bonus
Offseason workout bonus: $100,000
Per-game roster bonus: $750,000 total
2029
Base salary: $21.55 million
$19.8 million may be paid as an option bonus
Offseason workout bonus: $100,000
Per-game roster bonus: $750,000 total
Kittle can earn an additional $5 million in guaranteed money in 2027 by achieving any one of the following nine things in 2026:
- Pro Bowl participation
- All-Pro selection
- 1,000+ receiving yards
- 10+ receiving touchdowns
- 60+ receptions and 850+ yards
- 60+ receptions and 5+ touchdowns
- 5+ touchdowns and 850+ receiving yards
- 75%+ offensive snaps played and the 49ers win at least one playoff game
- 65%+ offensive snaps played and 60+ receptions
As Florio noted, take away the $22.4 million for 2029 and you get a practical new-money average of $18 million. The first two years ($33 million) and $2 million of the third year (2027) are fully guaranteed at signing, with the ability for Kittle to add the aforementioned $5 million.
The reported $40 million in guaranteed money is actually a firm $35 million, with the $5 million Kittle can (easily?) activate for 2027 pushing the possible total to $40 million.
As Florio and Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer noted, the 49ers are only committed to Kittle for 2025 and 2026 with team options for the subsequent three seasons. That's the way to structure a big contract for a player who is getting up in age, and it being done that way is absolutely not an insult to Kittle.