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Although NFL teams are preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft this week, players are also starting to attend voluntary offseason workouts. Over the next few weeks, players will begin showing up at their teams' facilities for the first time since the regular season ended.
The San Francisco 49ers will begin their offseason workout program on Tuesday. But one star player that will not be in attendance is tight end George Kittle. Kittle is reportedly working with the 49ers on a new deal.
Let's take a look at the latest news surrounding Kittle's absence from offseason workouts, his contract and more.
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Where is George Kittle?
Kittle is not attending the 49ers' voluntary offseason workouts, which began on Tuesday. Although his quarterback, Brock Purdy, was in attendance, Kittle was notably not.
The news of his absence was reported by both ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport on Tuesday:
49ers Pro Bowl TE George Kittle, who has been in discussions about a new deal, is not in at San Francisco’s voluntary off-season workout program that starts today. pic.twitter.com/ncWAKR0Q6K
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 22, 2025#49ers QB Brock Purdy has arrived with his team for voluntary offseason conditioning, per me and @TomPelissero, as the two sides are having continued conversations about an extension.
Star TE George Kittle won’t be in attendance, as his contract extension is not close. pic.twitter.com/mlagJerjIS
The NFLPA strictly states that these workouts are strictly voluntary, and that teams cannot indicate that the workouts are not voluntary. A couple of days before the offseason workout program began in San Francisco, Kittle was seen attending WrestleMania in Las Vegas:
George Kittle’s reaction to the ending of #WrestleMania41 is all of us. pic.twitter.com/5T6cE9RfPv
— Alex Tran (@nineralex) April 21, 2025While there's no cause for alarm for 49ers fans just yet, it is still slightly significant that Kittle is sitting out early in the offseason program in San Francisco.
George Kittle contract details
Kittle signed a five-year, $75 million rookie extension with the 49ers in 2020 that is set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.
NFL reporter Mike Silver, while appearing on Dianna Russini's Scoop City podcast, said that he didn't expect Kittle to show up to the offseason program. He added that although there has been some back and forth between the two sides, they remain "not really close to aligned" at this time:
Three star 49ers — Brock Purdy, Fred Warner and George Kittle — are all seeking new deals.
Where do negotiations stand with the three? And what could the ripple effect be as 49ers OTAs begin?@MikeSilver has the intel: pic.twitter.com/AL7P0m0sVL
Kittle's contract is set to count for a $22 million cap hit for San Francisco during the 2025 season. 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters in late February that he would like to see Kittle retire in San Fran:
#49ers GM John Lynch said team and TE George Kittle's reps have had some talks on an extension. Says team wants Kittle to retire a 49er. Lynch says issue will be timing because team has other big business to handle but...
"That's something we all want to see become a reality."
The NFL's date for players to begin signing a franchise player to a multiyear contract or extension is July 15. Mandatory training camps begin later that month.
While Kittle holding out from voluntary workouts doesn't appear to be too surprising, we'll see if it continues as the offseason rolls on.
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