Tight end George Kittle was the only San Francisco 49ers player named to the Next Gen Stats 2024 All-Pro Team, following the inclusion of Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Fred Warner in 2023. After a disappointing 6-11 season that saw the 49ers miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020, Kittle's standout performance in 2024 was a bright spot.
Kittle racked up an impressive 1,106 receiving yards this season, marking his fourth season surpassing the 1,000-yard mark, and added eight touchdowns—his second-highest total after 11 in 2022.
Despite competition from tight ends like Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders and Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals, Kittle's efficiency set him apart when it came time for the Next Gen Stats analytics team to assemble its honorary squad.
"Kittle finished third among all tight ends in receiving yards despite running more than 100 fewer routes and logging 30 fewer catches than either Bowers or McBride," the analytics team explained. "Kittle's efficiency is clear in his 313 receiving yards over expected, the highest mark by far among tight ends. In fact, he's the only player at his position to surpass 200. Simply put, no tight end maximized his opportunities quite like Kittle ... and that's not even factoring in his impact as a blocker in the running game. The 49ers averaged 5.1 yards per carry when Kittle was on the field (330 plays) compared with 3.9 when he wasn't (127 plays)."
Kittle also received the highest Pro Football Focus grade among tight ends. His 92.1 offensive grade ranked second to all pass-catchers, with only Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua earning a higher mark (92.8).
Kittle is entering the final year of his contract with the 49ers but has expressed his desire to stay with the team long-term, so an extension isn't out of the question.
"I want to be a Niner for my entire career," Kittle recently said. "I love wearing the red and gold. And whatever the front office wants to do, I'm all ears."
