George Kittle, 49ers Reportedly Agree on 4-Year, $76.4M Contract to Be Top-Paid NFL TE

San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle was set to enter the final year of his contract this season, but the team will be keeping him around for quite a while longer.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that Kittle and the 49ers agreed to terms on a four-year, $76.4 million contract extension that will keep him with the franchise through the 2029 season. He was previously set to earn $15 million while counting for $22.1 million against the salary cap during the 2025 campaign.

The extension also makes the 31-year-old the highest-paid tight end in NFL history, surpassing the four-year, $76 million extension Trey McBride received from the Arizona Cardinals earlier this month.

After the 2024 season came to an end, Kittle made it clear that he hoped to remain in San Francisco until he retires, telling ESPN's Nick Wagoner: "My goal is to wear the red and gold my entire career."

When minimal progress was made in negotiations for his new deal, Kittle skipped the start of the team's voluntary workouts. He showed up after a few days, and The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that the 49ers were expected to retain him despite receiving trade inquiries from other teams.

The 49ers disappointingly finished last in the NFC West with a 6-11 record, but Kittle was one of the team's few bright spots. He put forth a strong season with 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns across 15 games on his way to earning his sixth career Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors.

Wagoner noted that Kittle ranked third among tight ends in receiving yards, tied for second in touchdowns and was first in yards per reception (14.2). He also became just the fifth tight end to have four or more 1,000-yard seasons, joining Travis Kelce, Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten.

Kittle has become one of the faces of the franchise for the 49ers, so fans will be excited that the team has locked him up for the next four years following Tuesday's extension.