Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
George Kittle is officially a San Francisco 49er through 2025. Kittle signed a five-year, reported $75 million deal on Friday, closing out the 49ers’ last major bit of business, and just before pads come on in training camp on Monday. Kittle, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will all talk tomorrow.
Below is Kittle’s statement.
“I would first like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the entire 49ers organization, especially the York family, who made all of this possible. To John Lynch and the staff who selected me in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, I want to say thank you for giving me this opportunity. I love being a 49er and am blessed to have the opportunity to wear red and gold for years to come. I can’t wait to continue our quest to bring another Super Bowl back to The Bay.
I want to thank my teammates for their hard work and help in making me be the best teammate, player and man I can be each week. Together we have already accomplished amazing things, but we all know there is still so much more to do. It’s an incredible locker room to be a part of and I am grateful to my brothers for making this such a fun and exciting place to play football.
Thanks to my coaches and the management team. Coach Embree has helped me in so many ways, as a player and as a man. I will always be grateful to him for all he has done and he continues to do. Thanks to Coach Shanahan for making this such a rewarding place to play. I am thrilled that we will chase our ultimate goal together.
I want to thank my family – my wife, Claire, my parents, Bruce and Jan, and my sister, Emma – for their unwavering support throughout my life and career. I thank you for the unconditional love that you provide every single day and it motivates me to be the best person I can be.
Also, a big thank you to my agent, Jack Bechta, along with Ryan Hayes. Jack has been preparing me and my family for these negotiations for the past year, and we felt well informed and confident throughout the entire process. He has done a great job advocating on my behalf and helped secure a contract that protects me and my family. I appreciate his hard work and dedication to such an important event in my life.
Finally, to the greatest fans in the NFL – THANK YOU! Thank you for all your support in everything we do, for cheering us on no matter what and for always being FAITHFUL. I will continue to work for all of you as we make the 2020 season another success.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Lynch congratulated Kittle on Twitter, saying “he earned this.”
It’s official. Congratulations to @gkittle46 and his family. He earned this. Thanks to @JedYork and the entire York family. Great day for the Niners……now let’s go get it. pic.twitter.com/lttw2yZVpp
— John Lynch (@JohnLynch49ers) August 14, 2020