49ers’ George Kittle ignites tight end revolution

“If you look at the past 10 Super Bowl winners, every team has either a Gronk, a Kelce, Dallas Goedert, you have an elite tight end that makes plays for you the entire season,” Kittle said in a conversation during NFL Live.

Kittle makes a valid point. In today’s NFL, most championship-caliber teams feature a productive tight end. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski set the standard during their time with the Patriots and later with the Buccaneers, where Gronk remained a go-to target in critical playoff moments.

The Chiefs mirrored that success with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce forming one of the league’s most dominant duos. Greg Olsen played a similar role for Cam Newton during the Panthers’ 2015 Super Bowl run. Even last season, Dallas Goedert served as a key asset for Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia’s offense. The trend is clear—tight ends matter.

George Kittle with the 49ers

While George Kittle hasn’t won a Super Bowl with the 49ers, he’s come close twice. San Francisco reached the championship game in the 2019 and 2023 seasons, but both times fell just short against the Kansas City Chiefs in tightly contested matchups.

Kittle locked in a major contract extension with the 49ers this offseason, signing a four-year deal reportedly valued at $74.6 million, including $35 million guaranteed. The agreement makes him the league’s highest-paid tight end and keeps him in San Francisco through 2029—a well-earned reward for his consistent contributions and dominance at the position.

The 31-year-old broke out as one of the NFL’s premier tight ends in 2018, earning a Pro Bowl selection and second-team All-Pro honors. Since then, he has remained a dependable fixture in the 49ers’ offense.

In 2024, Kittle hauled in 78 receptions for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns. Over 113 career games with San Francisco, he has totaled 538 catches, 7,380 yards, and 45 touchdowns.

A new generation of tight ends is emerging in the NFL, and George Kittle is at the forefront of that movement.