Niners Reportedly Turned Down an Enticing George Kittle Trade Offer

Instead, San Francisco made Kittle the highest-paid tight end in NFL history.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle warms up for a game. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers made George Kittle the highest-paid tight end in NFL history on Tuesday, but this deal almost could have not happened.

The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on her podcast Scoop City that there was an unnamed team interested in Kittle the night before the NFL draft last week. The 49ers even talked about trading him for a second-round pick. But, in the end, Kittle was destined to remain in San Francisco.

"I know there was a team that had a conversation with the 49ers the night before the draft about a possible trade for Kittle, a second-rounder they were looking to get in return," Russini said. "They turned it down, the 49ers decided to keep him and really move this situation forward by getting a deal done."

Before the 49ers and George Kittle agreed to a lucrative extension, I'm told a team offered a second-round pick for the six-time Pro Bowler.

San Francisco turned it down.

More, on Scoop City: pic.twitter.com/xt74zew2Tf

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) May 2, 2025

Kittle was entering the final year of his five-year deal with the 49ers, so an extension was expected to happen this offseason if the team wanted to keep the tight end on the roster. His four-year deal is worth $76.4 million with $40 million guaranteed. His annual salary of $19.1 million plus his total salary makes it the richest contract for a tight end ever.

Like Russini and Chase Daniel say above, it would be difficult to imagine Kittle in another NFL jersey that isn't the 49ers'. Luckily, no one will have to see that hypothetical come true, as Kittle will suit up for a ninth season with the 49ers in the fall.

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