During the first week of NFL free agency, San Francisco 49ers fans had a rollercoaster of emotions, as they saw countless players leave in free agency, including veteran fullback Kyle Juszcyzk.
Juszcyzk was shockingly cut a day before the new league year began, which led to him receiving interest from the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Juszcyzk and the Niners came to a solution, as San Francisco re-signed the nine-time Pro Bowler to a two-year, $8 million deal days later.
As you can imagine, Niners fans were excited to see the veteran fullback back on the team, who has become a fan favorite over the years. Juszcyzk is excited to be back too. The 33-year-old discussed his re-signing on Sirius XM Tuesday.
The veteran playmaker disclosed that the 49ers told him they were having financial issues, and the team put the proverbial ball in his court on whatever decision Juszcyzk wanted to make.
"It was just something that they put on my radar and something that I needed to be prepared for. And just as things went on, just the optimist in me started telling myself that, 'Man, I don't think we're gonna have to do this. It's getting close to the actual free agency period. I haven't heard too much, the Pro Bowl fullback said (h/t Coach Yac on Twitter). Things are kind of looking good.' But then they finally, a couple days before that, were like, 'Yeah, this is a real thing, the financial restrictions we're under are a real thing.' And they kind of put it in my court, whether I wanted to be released or if we wanted to continue to try and negotiate a pay cut.
I think, just to put it in the simplest terms, at the end of the day, it was too much to leave home. I wanted to be a Niner, and we were able to get to a number that I was comfortable with. And then, we were able to make the deal, and I couldn't be happier. And I'm trying not to look back at all. I'm just happy to be there and know I'm locked in for two more years."
Kyle Juszczyk discussed re-signing with the 49ers. He said the team came to him and said they were having financial restrictions:
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) March 18, 2025
"It was just something that they put on my radar and something that I needed to be prepared for. And just as things went on, just the optimist in me… pic.twitter.com/SjZDZA7y7w
Juszcyzk was one of the first free agents that San Francisco signed in 2017 to start the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch regime. The 33-year-old fullback has played an integral part in the 49ers’ offensive scheme.
Over his eight-year run with the 49ers, Juszcyzk has recorded 2,107 scrimmage yards and 18 total touchdowns. Last season, the veteran playmaker had 19 receptions (31 targets) for 200 yards and two touchdowns.
With the 49ers going through many changes this offseason, the fact that they were able to keep one of their more important players on offense is huge as they look to rebound from a disappointing 2024 season.