An offseason full of contract drama hasn't slowed down for the San Francisco 49ers despite it being NFL Draft week. Even though the team is mostly focused on what new young players they'll be choosing over the weekend, they're now dealing with a serious problem on the veteran front.
Star tight end George Kittle opted to not show up for the start of the Niners' voluntary offseason workout program, and it's since been revealed a desire for a new contract is the main reason why. San Francisco GM John Lynch then appeared to take a dig at Kittle for that decision, praising fellow vet Fred Warner for his "sacrifice" to attend despite seeking his own extension.
Wednesday then brought a report from The Athletic's Diana Russini that said Kittle's demanding to be the highest-paid TE in the NFL after Trey McBride reset the market earlier this offseason.
This has all unfolded without anything directly from Kittle, who's clearly enjoying his time away from the field. However, he finally spoke up Wednesday afternoon with everyone else talking about the situation.
Your source is incorrect
— George Kittle (@gkittle46) April 23, 2025
Russini tweeted on Wednesday that Kittle's absence "is contract related" and "the two sides remain far apart" on a deal, which was accompanied by an excerpt of her report that says the 49ers stud "wants to become the NFL's highest-paid tight end." Kittle then responded, telling her that "your source is incorrect." However, it's unclear which part of Russini's reporting he is refuting.
It seems likely Kittle isn't at voluntary workouts because he wants a new contract. He's scheduled to hit free agency after this season, and he'll turn 32 years old during the 2025 campaign. That makes this his last chance to see a hefty payday before he enters the twilight of his career.
So maybe Kittle doesn't think his agents and San Francisco are "far apart"? But then why wouldn't he show up to workouts, especially when Purdy (who has a lot more to lose) and Warner both did?
That leaves the subject of Kittle's rebuttal being his reported asking price, assuming he's not denying everything Russini said. Though Kittle has a claim to the throne, he also has to know he's on the wrong side of 30 and very few tight ends keep dominating at this age. So perhaps he does have a realistic view where he'd like to be in the top three, but not necessarily top the $19 million per year average McBride just got.
Regardless, this drama playing out in front of the public eye isn't a good sign for this relationship. The Deebo Samuel saga went similarly before his eventual exit, so it's safe to say Niners fans should be on high alert.