Kittle 'not concerned' about Aiyuk's status with 49ers

Tight end George Kittle remains confident he'll remain teammates with Brandon Aiyuk despite a tense contract standoff between the receiver and the San Francisco 49ers.

"I'm not concerned about it. Aiyuk's a phenomenal football player who's a big part of our offense, and he's one of the most complete receivers that I've ever played with," Kittle said on the "Rich Eisen Show" Wednesday. "I'm gonna assume that Aiyuk's gonna be on our team by the time the season starts."

Kittle added that he sees similarities between Aiyuk's negotiations and other players' timelines in signing extensions with the team.

"If you look at my career, being a 49er and the way most of the contracts have gone, I didn't get signed until the second week of training camp, Deebo (Samuel) was pretty late. (Nick) Bosa was the first week of the season," Kittle said. "That's just how business is done out there."

Aiyuk skipped the Niners' entire offseason program, including mandatory minicamp, while seeking a new deal. The 26-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will earn $14.1 million in 2024.

The disgruntled wideout has posted subtle and blunt messages on social media regarding his frustrations with negotiations. During an interview in June, Aiyuk listed the Washington Commanders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Niners as possible teams he sees himself playing for next season.

However, the Niners' brass has been outspoken about keeping Aiyuk on the roster despite the sides remaining apart.

Aiyuk has been a staple of the 49ers' offense over the past four seasons, recording 269 receptions, 3,931 yards, and 25 touchdowns since being drafted in the first round in 2020.