By most measures, 2023 was an excellent season in a run of great seasons for 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk. If anything, it was a touch better than most—in addition to making his eighth straight Pro Bowl, he was also selected to the NFL All-Pro squad.
No complaints. Right?
Well, not until 49ers GM John Lynch approached Juszczyk this season and told him some news that no player really wants to hear. The 49ers wanted him to take a pay cut. If he felt he could not do it, the team likely would have waived him.
It was a tough blow, but the sides eventually worked out a new restructured deal that cleared out space for the 2024 season while maintaining Juszczyk’s status as the highest paid fullback in the NFL.
“Honestly, it hurt,” Juszczyk told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. “When John came to me and asked, I wasn’t necessarily expecting it. I think it’s natural for anybody, it kinda hurts your ego, it hurts your heart a little bit. I do understand that it is a business but I do feel like I am as valuable as I was expecting to get paid. But all that said, there was definitely a process we had to go through. I had to come to terms with it, that sort of thing.”
49ers Saved $4 Million in Cap Space
The problem for Juszczyk is that he occupies a rare spot in today’s league. He is undoubtedly among the best fullbacks the NFL has, and the guy most consider the best at the position. However, he’s also one of the few fullbacks the NFL has, as the vast majority of teams around the league shy away from utilizing the position anymore.
That was one reason why the 49ers targeted Juszczyk’s spot as a place they could potentially save some money with a reworked contract. Because the fullback is such a niche market, it is not like Jusczyzk could rack up a big new deal as a free agent.
So the 49ers, up against some tough decisions with an already bloated salary cap situation, reworked Juszczyk’s deal, giving him a new two-year, $9.1 million contract with a large chunk converted to a signing bonus that saved the 49ers $4 million in cap room.
He wrestled with a few emotions around the move.
“At the end of the day, though, I really, truly, I wanted to be a Niner,” Juszczyk said. “This is where I wanted to be. I absolutely love it here. I still love John and Kyle (Shanahan), I still have a great relationship with them andI think this is the best team in the league and we have the best chance to win a Super Bowl. This is where I want to be, this is my roots, I have a home here. So we got it done. I’m back with the Niners. I am happy, there are no hard feelings.
“It took me a while to get there. But I am here now. I really and truly am excited for this season, and still happy with my role.”
Kyle Juszczyk at the End of Illustrious Career?
Indeed, it is a rare role. Pro Football Focus only identified 10 fullbacks worth grading last year, and among the group, Juszczyk was No. 1 in offensive snaps (604, 109 more than No. 2 on the list, Patrick Ricard of Baltimore).
But also of note: The 49ers have an out on Juszczyk’s contract for 2025, which means he very well could be looking at his last season in San Francisco. The 49ers could a further cap crunch coming if they manage to squeeze in a new contract for star receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Already this offseason, the 49ers had to rework the contract of star running back Christian McCaffrey, another factor that could eventually send Juszczyk packing. The whole thing made Juszczyk acutely aware that at age 33, he is but a football mortal, and the end of the line is not far off.
“I want to play as long as possible,” Juszczyk said. “And I always thought that was going to be up to me. This was the first time that it crept in my mind that, you know, maybe how long I play isn’t 100% up to me.”
