PAYING FOR THE BE$T

Kittle sets bar high for NFL tight ends

- Craig Massei

George Kittle isn’t just wealthy now beyond his dreams, he’s also been set free. Becoming the highest-paid tight end in NFL history can do that for a guy.

Of course, Kittle isn’t just any other guy. He’s the best, most complete, tight end in the NFL. And he rounds out his power, skill, production and talent on the field with a flamboyant and irrepressible style that — combined with his infectious personality — truly makes Kittle one of a kind.

So you can believe Kittle when he says the much-anticipated blockbuster contract extension he signed with the 49ers on Aug. 14 — just before the team was about to take the field to begin full-squad training camp practices — wasn’t just about the money.

“Now I can go on the football field and not have any worries about anything,” Kittle said. “I can just go out there and play football and run through someone’s face. And I’m really excited about that.”

That’s the kind of all-out energy and aggressive demeanor that gets everybody excited about Kittle, who plays with the kind of reckless abandon that’s both fun and painful to watch.

After all, Kittle’s the same guy that broke a bone in his leg on San Francisco’s first offensive play during a Halloween Night game at Arizona last season and yet still played on, eventually catching a touchdown pass 12 minutes later to tie the game.