The San Francisco 49ers had a busy offseason, parting ways with several key contributors for financial constraints and revamping the roster across multiple positions. However, they will have some continuity on the offensive side of the ball with the Brock Purdy-George Kittle connection. The 49ers signed Kittle to a four-year, $76.4 million extension, and a new deal for Purdy is imminent per recent reports.
On the heels of his extension that made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL once again, Kittle took a shot at his teammates. Speaking to Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area, the star playmaker said that it was nice not having a "drama-filled offseason" with "a bunch of guys holding out for contracts."
"I'm happy that we don't have a bunch of guys holding out for contracts. I'm glad that we are not having a super drama-filled offseason. I think every year of my career we've had a quarterback controversy at some point. And to not have that, it's going great."George Kittle
It's hard to read these words and not immediately take them as directed at the likes of Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams. The 49ers had both stars holding out late into the summer, Aiyuk finally signing a four-year, $120 million contract, and Williams agreeing to a restructured three-year, $82.66 million deal. During the process, both players skipped the training camp and preseason, accruing exorbitant fines.
It is impossible to deny the impact that it would have on team chemistry. Kittle is right in thinking that it adds unwanted drama around the team, preventing them from fully concentrating on the season ahead.
At the same time, whether saying this publicly is the right move is another question. It also makes 49ers fans wonder how much this bitterness played into the underwhelming season San Francisco just had in 2024. Let's hope that Kittle's words don't rub anyone the wrong way, and the 49ers can actually focus on the season ahead and get back to their winning ways.