Kyle Juszczyk Says He Was ‘Hurt’ After Being Asked to Take Pay Cut on 49ers Contract

Zach BacharContributor IJuly 13, 2024

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San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk revealed that he wasn’t pleased with general manager John Lynch’s request for him to take a pay cut following the 2023 season.

“Honestly, it hurt when John came to me and asked,” Juszczyk said, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. “I wasn’t necessarily expecting it.”

“It kind of hurts your ego and hurts your heart a little bit,” he added.

On March 13, Juszczyk and the 49ers agreed to a restructured contract that saved the team $1.75 million against the 2024 salary cap.

The 33-year-old previously signed a five-year extension worth $27 million with the team in 2019.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero noted that Juszczyk’s new restructured deal lowered his base salary in 2024 and 2025 to essentially become a two-year, $9.1 million contract.

While he wasn’t enthused by Lynch’s offer, Juszczyk still chose to accept it due to his desire to remain with the team.

“There definitely was a process that we had to go through and I had to come to terms with it,” he said, per Maiocco. “At the end of the day, though, I really, truly wanted to be a Niner. This is where I wanted to be. I absolutely love it here.”

The 49ers also attempted to restructure the contract of defensive lineman Arik Armstead during the 2024 offseason. However, the two sides were unable to agree on a new deal and he was released on March 10. Armstead ended up signing a three-year contract worth up to $51 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As for Juszczyk, he’ll be returning for his eighth season with the 49ers. He’s earned a Pro Bowl nod in each year of his career in San Francisco, bringing his overall total to eight. Juszczyk has remained an effective option in the pass game, racking up 1,695 total receiving yards as a member of the 49ers.

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He’s also helped San Francisco become one of the league’s top offenses on the ground, owning the third-best rushing attack in the NFL during the 2023 season. While he may not be pleased with the way his contract situation played out, he’ll return in 2024 and help the 49ers as they attempt to avenge their Super Bowl loss.