Kittle didn’t build this reputation on hype. As a fifth-round pick in 2017, he followed a modest 515-yard debut with a record-setting 1,377-yard campaign in just Year 2, crowning himself one of the most explosive TEs ever. He’s since posted four 1,000-yard seasons, surpassed 7,380 career receiving yards and 538 receptions, and earned six Pro Bowls and five All‑Pro nods. All this while gutting through injuries—a torn labrum, fractured ribs, a ruptured toe ligament—yet never dipping below elite production. So, when the 49ers handed George Kittle a four-year extension this April, it wasn’t just another feel-good reunion.
The $76.4 million deal, with $40 million guaranteed, made him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL—edging past Trey McBride’s recent $19 million-per-year mark—and locked him in through 2029. It was a bold move, but one rooted in cold logic. And yet, even with that deal inked, there is already something forward-looking in his tone. Something else on his mind.
Amid the high-stakes spotlight, Kittle seems to be quietly setting his own boundaries. He hasn’t set a date, but sitting down with Will Compton and Taylor Lewan on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, he did discuss the exit criteria he had in mind:
“Oh, literally until I’m not having fun anymore. Till the wheels fall off,” he said. The fact that he’s ready to play till he just can’t anymore shows us how dedicated he is to the game. “Or if Claire looks at me one day and goes, ‘You kind of look like crap out there… you should probably retire.’ That might do it,” he added.
Jan 14, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) runs onto the field before a wild card game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
“Or, I don’t know… maybe if I get to, like, 35 and it starts hurting just to put on pants in the morning, I’ll probably go, ‘Okay, this isn’t fun anymore,’ and have a real talk with myself,” he said while stating the third scenario in which he will consider retiring. However, reassuring everyone that the time isn’t coming anytime soon, he said, “But right now? I’m feeling great.”
George also talked about the ambitions he would pursue after leaving the NFL. On top of his list, not surprisingly enough, is wrestling, and by that he means the WWE. Being the well-known WWE fan that he is, he has been to WrestleMania 39 and 41, among other matches. And with WWE’s market cap now sitting at $14.35 billion as of late June, the company’s commercial momentum only adds intrigue to the idea. Kittle feels like there could be opportunities in that sphere. “My only question mark with that is that I so much love being a fan of WWE… I would only do WWE if I, like, bought a ring and practiced my ass off for a while so I wouldn’t look like an idiot out there,” he said. Talking about what he would do if he did decide to go into WWE.
Kittle also recalled the time he went inside a WWE ring. “I’ve been in a WWE ring like three times. Like, I don’t know what I’m doing out there. I have an understanding of how it works, but I haven’t performed. I haven’t moonsaulted off the top rope at WrestleMania like Pat McAfee did. Like what Logan Paul does,” he added while complimenting Logan for his athleticism.
He’s not gunning for a move just yet, but with WWE’s $14.35 billion empire still growing, Kittle is clearly watching more than just the matches. That chapter can wait. Right now, he’s locked in on the 2025 season—and with a fresh $79.4 million extension, there’s plenty to prove. But his focus isn’t only on his own future—it’s on the position as a whole.
George Kittle sets the bar high for tight ends
While Kittle must be happy being the highest-paid player, he doesn’t really care about the title. He wants other TEs to surpass his record and earn more than him. “The only way for the tight end market to continue to grow is if everybody’s getting paid,” Kittle had said on The Dan Patrick Show on Monday. “That’s the only way to do it. You can’t just have one guy do it and then it just sits for four years because then you’re stuck and it’s stagnant and no one’s getting paid,” he added.
While hoping that the other players don’t do well against the 49ers, he wants to enjoy a great season. In his opinion, that is the only thing that will aid players in asking for higher prices during extensions or signings. “I want guys to get paid, to keep bumping up that market so by the time that Brock Bowers is doing his contract in three years, he’s going for over $20 million, which he will. That’s just the whole point,” he continued.
While we don’t know if the tight end market will improve so suddenly or whether it will take more time. It is great to see a player like him achieve what he wanted. But rather than celebrate it in other players’ faces, he wants them to surpass him. A true legend, some may call him.
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