It’s been quite the week in the Bay Area. The Niners made 11 selections in the draft last week. They are eyeing some veterans to add to their roster. And more recently, big checks are being signed. And George Kittle has every reason to be grinning after signing a massive new deal with the team. The 49ers’ TE, on Tuesday, signed his much-talked-about extension with the team. On the surface, it’s all sunshine and good vibes, especially with his wife Claire posting sweet snaps from the signing day and the NFL world chiming in with celebratory comments.

But things on paper might not be all sunshine and rainbows. Well, like it is in most contracts, there is always something deeper and more to the story. According to a report by national insider Albert Breer, the 49ers might’ve pulled a slick move behind the scenes. Breer points out that Kittle’s 4-year contract extension worth $76.4 million is not as straightforward as it looks. The fine print reveals the team’s true colors, giving San Francisco some serious leverage over the next few years.

As per Breer, the 31-year-old is guaranteed to remain with the team for the first two years, 2025 and 2026. And San Francisco would have the choice to decide whether to keep him on the roster for the remaining three years of the contract or not. So while this gives the Niners flexibility in managing their salary cap, it’s not quite in favor of Kittle.

Kittle’s new deal screams that the team has the flexibility to move on from him if necessary. San Francisco, by including three team options for the last three years, set up a situation where they can evaluate Kittle’s performance and his value to the team as time progresses. And if the TE doesn’t perform on the gridiron, they will simply not exercise the options for those years.

So, after handing George Kittle that eye-popping $76 million extension, the 49ers appear to have built in some strategic flexibility.

A $76M payday with strings attached for George Kittle

The Niners’ TE’s contract talks have been in session for quite some time now. Kittle was in the last year of his contract before signing the extension. After the 49ers cut 17 players from the roster, doubts were lingering about whether the team would even retain the star TE. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini even reported last week that there might be some trouble brewing in contract talks for Kittle as he chose to miss the team’s OTAs. Kittle directly shut those claims down by writing, “Your source is incorrect,” on Dianna Russini’s X post about his contract discussions. 

Well, fast forward to a week later, and Kittle proved his statement with a newly signed extension in hand. The 31-year-old’s new deal makes him the highest-paid TE, surpassing Cardinals‘ Trey McBride. The Niners announced the news shortly after Tuesday morning. “In 2017, our first year with the 49ers, we selected a skinny tight end from Iowa whom we were excited about,” GM John Lynch said via a news release. “George’s leadership, enthusiasm for the game, for his teammates, and the faithful are truly unique and special. He is an outstanding representation for the 49ers on the field. And is an outstanding representative for the organization off the field with his investment in the local and military communities,” he added.

Although the Niners initially announced the extension, they kept the details under wraps. However, Mike Florio has shared some insights about the tight end’s contract. Kittle’s deal includes an $18.1 million signing bonus, paid in three installments over the next year. The Niners have an out after the 2027 season, as neither Kittle’s 2028 nor 2029 base salaries are fully guaranteed.

So, while Kittle’s new deal may seem like a win, the fine print reveals a future full of options and uncertainty for both him and the 49ers. What are your thoughts?