George Kittle is staying in San Francisco after signing a historic contract extension with the 49ers.
His wife, Claire Kittle, seemed thrilled by the news. She posted a black-and-white photo of George on the sidelines to her Instagram story with the caption:
“4 More Baby”
George’s new contract is a four-year deal worth up to $76.4 million, with $40 million guaranteed. It’s the richest tight end deal in NFLÂ history.
George Kittle’s Contract Extension Keeps Him With the Team That Drafted Him
The extension keeps George with the 49ers through 2029 — if he plays out the full contract. He was originally set to become a free agent after this season. The $19 million average salary tops Travis Kelce’s previous record of $17.13 million per year.
George has been a key piece of the 49ers since they drafted him with the 146th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He made an early impact as a rookie, but it was his second year when he broke out.
That season, after starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo tore his ACL in Week 3, George caught passes from C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens. Despite the quarterback carousel and a 4–12 finish, he posted 1,377 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection that year and has remained one of the league’s top tight ends ever since.
George is a five-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler. He has 538 career receptions for 7,380 yards and 45 touchdowns. Most recently, in 2024, George finished with 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns, despite a down year for the 49ers, which ended with a 6-11 record. Previously, the team had won at least 10 games for three consecutive seasons.
The 2024 season marked a first for George when he finished in the Top 15 in NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting for the first time.
How George and Claire Met
George and Claire have been together since they were student-athletes at the University of Iowa.
They met as freshmen in 2012 when Claire, wearing a bright pink moped helmet in the parking lot, caught George’s attention. He walked up and struck up a conversation. Eight months later, they started dating.
Like George, Claire was also an athlete — she played basketball at Iowa. But a recurring knee injury during her senior year ended her competitive playing days.
George proposed in 2018, and the couple held a small ceremony in April 2019 to formalize their relationship. They originally planned a wedding in Italy in 2020, but the pandemic forced a change. Instead, they tied the knot in their Nashville home in April 2021.
