Report: George Kittle agrees to huge 5-year contract extension with 49ers

Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter in Super Bowl LIV. On Thursday, Kittle signed a contract extension with the 49ers that will make him the highest-paid tight end in the NFL. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Tight end George Kittle has agreed to a five-year contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers worth up to $75 million, NFL Network's Michael Silver and Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday.

As is the case with many high-profile NFL signings, the gaudy-looking top-line numbers are a bit deceiving, since Kittle will likely not obtain the full $75 million by the end of the extension. Still, the guaranteed total numbers ($40 million, twice that of other tight ends) — and potential for more — will make him the league's highest-paid tight end, far ahead of Hunter Henry of the Los Angeles Chargers and Austin Hooper of the Cleveland Browns.

The 49ers appear to be mindful of the optics of this contract extension and the large gap in dollars it should give Kittle over his tight end competitors. On a yearly basis, he's in line to potentially earn 41.5% more than Hooper; in 2018, when Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald signed a massive extension, he was given an 18% annual salary increase over Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller, who was previously the highest-paid defensive player.

In just three seasons, Kittle has established himself as one of the top players in the NFL, and was recently ranked No. 7 overall by his pro peers. He's coming off back-to-back seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards and five touchdowns, paired with a strong reputation as a run-blocker.

Presumably, Kittle won't have any qualms with this latest round of reporting about his new contract. That wasn't the case on Wednesday, when he tossed out an annoyed emoji on Twitter and asked his followers if they believe everything they read online, after an erroneous report with different extension numbers made the rounds on social media.

Alex Shultz is the SFGate sports editor. Email: alex.shultz@sfgate.com | Twitter: @AlexShultz