49ers TE George Kittle's formula to playing as long as possible

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- It's early June and the San Francisco 49ers have just put the finishing touches on their offseason program by breaking a team huddle, dividing into position groups and then heading off into their summer down time.

As most players head into the locker room, tight end George Kittle is getting started on the JUGS machine. At 31 years old, Kittle's participation in organized team activities is largely limited to individual drills.

He doesn't plan to leave any opportunity to hone his craft on the table. Whether it's catching passes post-practice, hosting an annual get-together for his fellow tight ends or his meticulous pre-practice routine, Kittle remains focused on being the NFL's standard-bearer at his position.

"I had a dream of playing NFL football when I was a kid," Kittle told ESPN. "I just love the game so much and I've been blessed enough to have this opportunity and I feel like it's up to me to decide whether the window's closed or my time is coming to an end ... I'm literally living my dream, so why would I not want to be the best version of myself that I can be?"

As Kittle rolls toward his ninth NFL season, he's still in the prime of his career.

In 2024, Kittle finished with 1,106 yards (second most in career) and eight touchdowns (second) on 78 receptions (third). In terms of efficiency, Kittle's production was as good or better than every tight end in the league.

Among tight ends, Kittle's 11.6 yards per target, 73.7 yards per game, 2.9 yards per route run and 14.9 yards per reception ranked first in the league. He also ranked second in yards after catch per reception (6.6) and touchdowns while allowing zero sacks in 113 pass block snaps over the past two seasons.

All of that allowed Kittle to reclaim his title as the league's highest-paid tight end by signing a four-year, $76.4 million contract extension in April that could allow him to finish his career with the only NFL team he's ever known.

Kittle said the negotiations included a little bit of drama. He declined to elaborate on it but acknowledged it would be "fair to say" there was at least a minor disagreement on his value.

Despite the hiccup, Kittle is happy that he's under contract through the 2029 season.

"It's somewhere that I want to be for as long as I possibly can be because I go to work every single morning and I look up and I'm walking into Levi's Stadium as my office," Kittle said. "I am just so beyond lucky and I am so happy to be able to be here for longer."

According to Kittle, his secret to fending off Father Time and extending his career is striking the right balance between taking care of his body and strengthening his mind -- all the while approaching every day like an undrafted rookie trying to win a roster spot.

"I've always hung my hat on the fact that I know that if I'm playing at my best that there's no one that is going to take my job and that I'm going to continue to play at a really high level," Kittle said.

"There are 10,000 kids who would love to be the starting tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. And it is my job to not let any of their dreams come true ... That is one thing that keeps me going and one thing that just makes me want to play for as long as I possibly can."