There’s been debate recently over whether San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy deserves to be paid in the upper echelon of his position.

After failing to lead an injury-riddled 49ers squad to the postseason in 2024 and seeing his stats taking a step back, questions remain about whether Purdy will reset the quarterback market if the 49ers decide to sign the former Iowa State star to a contract extension this offseason. (Purdy himself missed two games due to shoulder and elbow injuries.)

But if anyone has Purdy’s back, it’s one of his favorite targets on the 49ers, George Kittle.

What is Brock Purdy’s contract with the 49ers?

Purdy initially signed a four-year rookie contract with the 49ers after the 2022 NFL Draft. That contract pays him about $3.7 million over four years, making him one of the lowest-paid quarterbacks. His base salary for the 2024 season was $985,000.

What did George Kittle say about Brock Purdy’s potential contract extension?

Kittle, a former Iowa Hawkeye, talked about his support of Purdy, a former Iowa State Cyclone, during an interview ahead of Super Bowl 59 with USA TODAY Sports.

Kittle was asked in the interview how much he would pay Purdy if he were the general manager of the 49ers.

“I don’t think I have the authority to answer that question, but [I’d pay him] whatever he has earned. Brock is a phenomenal quarterback. You can fact-check me, but he’s, like, 24-25 years old, so he’s got a lot of football left in him,” Kittle said. “He’s a great leader, and that was one thing I thought this year he grew up on the most, [which] was his leadership abilities took a huge step forward.”

“That’s huge for him, and his comfort in the offense is just continually growing, so Brock has played at an incredibly high level already, and he’s only going to get better.”

Despite going to rival colleges, Kittle and Purdy have developed quite a connection since the latter came in as the starter for the franchise at the end of 2022. Since Purdy’s rookie season, Kittle has caught the most touchdowns by a tight end with 25 and most recently made his sixth Pro Bowl in eight seasons.

What’s George Kittle’s contract with the 49ers?

The All-Pro tight end signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the team in 2020.

Kittle is entering the final year of his current contract, and speculation about his future has been rampant. Many expect the team to work on extending their valuable All-Pro, which has been reconfigured multiple times to save on salary cap costs. Still, the 31-year-old is scheduled to account for $22 million against his team’s cap this year.

“I want to be a Niner for my entire career,” Kittle said in January after the season. “I love wearing the red and gold. And whatever the front office wants to do, I’m all ears.” An extension would give him a unique opportunity to make the team’s 10-year wall.