George Kittle Says he will not Hold Out

Finally, some good news for the 49ers.

Roughly an hour after star running back Raheem Mostert requested a trade because the 49ers didn’t give him a raise, All Pro tight end George Kittle said he will show up to training camp even though the 49ers haven’t given him the contract extension he wants

“Being a captain, I want to be there for my team, and I need to show the right leadership skills,” Kittle said, according to NBCSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.

This means Kittle will not hold out, and probably will not request a trade, and almost certainly will play out his current contract if he and the 49ers can’t agree to an extension.

Why?

Partly because Kittle is a captain, as he said. He sincerely loves football and takes his leadership role extremely seriously. And part of the reason he feels he’s worth so much more than other tight ends is his leadership. He’s not just a talented player. He’s the heart of the 49ers.

But there’s another reason he won’t hold out: he can’t afford to. Financially.

Kittle is a former fifth-round pick who has earned “just” 1.9 million dollars in his career before taxes. And he plays in California, so he gets taxed at the highest rate. He probably doesn’t have enough money to fall back on if he were to hold out for a season.

So even though he’s scheduled to make “only” $2.2 million next season -- he needs that $2.2 million. It’s more than he has made in his entire life.

The 49ers have all the leverage, and Kittle knows it. That doesn’t mean he’ll accept their lowball contract-extension offer, if it is a lowball offer. He might hold out for more money next year. But you can count on him playing for the 49ers in 2020.