George Kittle’s teammates believe the tight end is worth every penny

George Kittle just agreed to the largest contract for a tight end in league history and his teammates completely understand why.

Nickel back K’Waun Williams faces Kittle regularly on the practice field and knows how the All-Pro tight end operates. While it helps Williams sharpen his own skill set, he understands how opposing defenses have huge challenge when Kittle is on the field.

“You just got to be disciplined from the start of the down to the end because he just real crafty, he’s strong, and he’s just relentless in everything he does,” Williams said via video on Thursday. “He’s willing to block in the run game, so you got to be on your A-game going against a guy like that.”

Before Dee Ford was a member of the 49ers, he had the chance to face Kittle as a defender for the Kansas City Chiefs. While Ford enjoyed the challenge, he remembers his former team’s inability to stop the bruising tight end.

“I remember that game,” Ford said on Thursday via video. “Me, him, and Joe [Staley] talked a lot in my last year in Kansas City between plays. It was a very fun game. Kittle is Kittle, man. He’s a beast and of course we planned for him, and he still worked us, and it was fun. Great competition.

“He’s going to make plays, he’s going to block. Best blocking tight end, best catching tight end, best tight end in the league. So it’s always good competition going against him and I’m proud of him. He really deserves every penny.”

Kittle has not only set records for receiving yards by a tight end, but has been an essential blocker in the 49ers run game. He is a leader off the field as well, not holding out and reporting to camp even without a contract in place. He has been a bargain for the 49ers, far out playing his fifth-round six-figure salary.

Now, with a five-year $75 million deal in place, Kittle is locked in with the 49ers through the 2025 season.