Long, ugly contract sagas have defined this era of the San Francisco 49ers. Tight end George Kittle appears to be the latest example.

Kittle signed a five-year, $75 million contract extension with San Francisco in 2020 and is set to count for a $22 million cap hit during the 2025 campaign. General manager John Lynch told reporters earlier this offseason that the team wants Kittle to retire in a 49ers uniform.

George Kittle has been a stalwart for the 49ers in his eight NFL seasons since first coming to San Francisco from Iowa in 2017. But his time with the 49ers after the 2025 season is coming into question.