NFL insider calls out 49ers for mishandling George Kittle's contract

Long-time NFL insider Matt Maiocco has criticized the San Francisco 49ers for their lack of urgency in handling star tight end George Kittle's contract situation.

Maiocco, a reporter for NBC Sports Bay Area, analyzes the 49ers as Kittle enters the final year of his current deal with a $22 million cap hit for 2025.

The comments were made during Maiocco's April 19 appearance on Bay Area radio station KNBR:

"This is kind of following what the 49ers have done. They haven't been proactive. They haven't made a big push to sign their guys early, whether it's early in the new league year or whatever the case may be. This is just the way they operate. And I think they've already done themselves a bit of a disservice with the handling of George Kittle's new deal," said Maiocco.

The discussion follows a significant shift in the tight end market after Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride signed a four-year, $76 million extension worth $19 million annually. This new benchmark pushed Kittle, who signed a five-year, $75 million deal in 2020 that made him the highest-paid tight end at the time. This was down to fourth on the pay scale behind McBride, Travis Kelce ($17.125 million) and T.J. Hockenson ($16.5 million).

The 49ers missed the opportunity with George Kittle

NFL: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals - Source: Imagn

Maiocco pointed to the rapidly escalating market and how the 49ers missed an opportunity to lock in Kittle at a potentially lower rate earlier this year.

"So, maybe the 49ers could have got George Kittle for $18 million a year had they worked on that in February and early March. Now, it's up around $20 million, I would think. If Trey McBride is making $19 million, shouldn't George Kittle be making $20 million?" Maiocco explained during the radio interview.

This situation mirrors previous contract scenarios with the 49ers. They faced similar challenges with Deebo Samuel in 2022 when the wide receiver market exploded and again with Brandon Aiyuk last year. Most recently, linebacker Dre Greenlaw left after the team hesitated, allowing the Denver Broncos to secure him with a substantial offer.

The 49ers' caution reflects a possible strategic shift. After falling short of championship success despite three NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl berth since 2020, the team has allowed several free agents to leave this offseason. Most notably, they traded star receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders, signaling a potential rebuild or roster reset.

With Kittle showing no signs of slowing down after recording 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns last season, his value remains high.