Inside the new George Kittle deal
The 49ers and tight end George Kittle finalized a new five-year contract on Tuesday.
The 49ers and tight end George Kittle finalized a new five-year contract on Tuesday.
The full details of the deal have arrived.
Here they are:
1. Signing bonus: $18.145 million ($3 million to be paid by May 9, 2025, $8.145 million to be paid by September 12, 2025, and $7 million to be paid by April 3, 2026).
2. 2025 offseason workout bonus: $100,000, fully guaranteed but must be earned.
3. 2025 base salary: $1.255 million, fully guaranteed.
4. 2025 per-gave active roster bonus: $500,000 total, fully guaranteed but must be earned.
5. 2026 offseason workout bonus: $100,000, fully guaranteed but must be earned.
6. 2026 base salary: $12.4 million, fully guaranteed. ($10.9 million may be paid as an option bonus.)
7. 2026 per-gave active roster bonus: $500,000 total, fully guaranteed but must be earned.
8. 2027 offseason workout bonus: $100,000.
9. 2027 base salary: $17.15 million, fully guaranteed, $2 million of which is fully guaranteed at signing and $5 million more of which is conditionally guaranteed based on 2026 performance. ($15.5 million may be paid as an option bonus.)
10. 2027 per-gave active roster bonus: $750,000 total.
11. 2028 offseason workout bonus: $100,000.
12. 2028 base salary: $17.15 million. ($15.4 million may be paid as an option bonus.)
13. 2028 per-gave active roster bonus: $750,000 total.
14. 2029 offseason workout bonus: $100,000.
15. 2029 base salary: $21.55 million. ($19.8 million may be paid as an option bonus.)
16. 2029 per-gave active roster bonus: $750,000 total.
The deal pays out $91.4 million over five years, for an annual average at signing on $18.28 million.
The new-money average for the four-year extension is $76.4 million, an average of $19.1 million per year. Removing the $22.4 million compensation package for 2029, the new-money average is $18 million.
The $18 million practical new-money APY puts him behind Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, whose contract doesn't include an inflated final year, as the highest-paid tight end. At $18 million, Kittle remains ahead of all other tight ends.
The first two years ($33 million) and $2 million of the third year are fully guaranteed at signing. He can unlock another $5 million in 2027 guarantees by reaching any one of nine different possible achievements in 2026: (1) participating in the Pro Bowl as a starter or backup, unless medically excused, after qualifying on the initial ballot; (2) earn first-team or second-team All-Pro honors; (3) gaining 1,000 or more receiving yards; (4) catching 10 or more touchdown passes; (5) catching 60 or more passes for 850 or more yards; (6) catching 60 or more passes for five or more touchdowns; (7) scoring five or more touchdown reception and generating 850 or more receiving yards; (8) participating in 75 percent or more of the offensive snaps and the team wins at least one playoff game; or (9) participating in 65 percent or more of the offensive snaps and catching 60 or more passes.
Kittle replaces the remaining year of his existing contract at $15 million with two guaranteed years at $33 million and another $2 million in guarantees for the third year. He has the ability to bump the total guarantee to $40 million.
The 49ers are committed as a practical matter to two years. It becomes a year-to-year arrangement after that.