Juszczyk prioritized staying with 49ers despite being 'hurt' by pay cut

San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk admits that he had to swallow his pride when the franchise asked him to take a pay cut this offseason.

The Niners cleared nearly $4 million in cap space after Juszczyk agreed to an amended contract. The 33-year-old still remains the highest-paid player at his position, earning an annual salary of $4.5 million, according to Over The Cap.

"Honestly, it hurt when (general manager John Lynch) came to me and asked," Juszczyk said, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco. "I wasn't necessarily expecting it. It kind of hurts your ego and hurts your heart a little bit. I understand that it's a business, but I do feel like I'm as valuable as what I was expected to get paid."

The 49ers released Arik Armstead in March after he declined a request to accept a pay cut.

San Francisco rewarded several of its players with lucrative extensions over recent years, including Nick Bosa and Deebo Samuel. The Niners continue to work toward signing Brandon Aiyuk to a new agreement ahead of a contract year.

Although Juszczyk accepted the pay cut, he was adamant about remaining the highest-paid fullback.

"No knocks on other fullbacks in the league, but I'm the best fullback in the league, Juszczyk said.

Juszczyk has earned eight consecutive Pro Bowl nods dating back to 2016. The Harvard alum cited the Niners' opportunity to remain Super Bowl contenders among his reasons for wanting to stay with the franchise.

"I think this is the best team in the league, and I think we have the best chance to win a Super Bowl. So this is where I wanted to be. That's where my roots are," Juszczyk said.