San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has been consistently compared with Travis Kelce for almost the entirety of his NFL career.
That's a product of the pair enjoying their breakout campaigns within a couple of years of each other and battling over the tag of top tight end in the game since Kittle burst onto the scene with a record-breaking season in 2018.
But Kittle's career has yet to produce a Super Bowl title, with Kelce helping deny him twice, the Kansas City Chiefs making it two Super Bowl wins over the 49ers in five seasons with their victory in an overtime thriller in February.
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And Kelce is set to stand above Kittle from a financial standpoint after agreeing a two-year extension with the Chiefs.
Per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport , Kelce's extension will make him the NFL's highest-paid tight end.
The highest-paid tight end by average annual value is Darren Waller of the New York Giants ($17 million), who is said to be considering retirement, with Kittle third at $15 million, just ahead of Kelce ($14.5 million).
Kelce's new deal will change that, with his extension tacking two years and $34.25 million on to the two years remaining on his old deal, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero , putting him in a position you could argue should be occupied by Kittle.
Kittle led all tight ends in receiving yards (1,030) and yards per route run (2.22) in 2023. He was also first for his position with 18 receptions of 20 yards or more.
In the blocking game, Kittle ranked first among tight ends in Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade. Put simply, there was no better receiving or blocking tight end in the NFL last season.
Kelce, however, came alive in the postseason, with his nine-catch, 93-yard performance in the Super Bowl crushing the dreams of Kittle and the Niners once again.
Still on overall recent body of work, it is Kittle who would appear to be more deserving of the title of highest-paid tight end.
Instead, there are likely to be questions concerning Kittle's future with the 49ers beyond 2024. With Brock Purdy eligible for a contract extension next offseason, the 2023 first-team All-Pro could be a potential trade candidate in 2025.
Whereas Kelce is now signed through 2027, when he will be 38, Kittle could be looking at his final season with the 49ers. The careers of Kelce and Kittle are intertwined and, while he would never openly admit to any kind of jealousy, Kittle would be forgiven for looking at the journey Kelce has enjoyed with at least some envy.
Related: 49ers' way-too-early 53-man roster projection
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