The Pittsburgh Steelers made a push to sign All-Pro fullback Kyle Juszczyk, even bringing him in for a free-agent visit. However, despite their efforts—and even offering more money—Juszczyk ultimately chose to return to the San Francisco 49ers on a two-year, $8 million deal.
Juszczyk had initially been released by the 49ers and explored the free-agent market to assess his value. Though the Steelers presented a competitive offer, he ultimately decided to remain with San Francisco.
“Nine-time Pro Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk is returning to the San Francisco 49ers on a two-year, $8 million deal,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reported. “A source said Juszczyk took less than what the Pittsburgh Steelers were offering to return to San Francisco.”
Speaking on SiriusXM Radio, Juszczyk explained his reasoning for staying with the 49ers rather than joining Pittsburgh.
“I think, like anybody, it’s good to see what your market is,” Juszczyk said. “So they gave me the opportunity to do that. Me and my agent explored some options because it’s only fair to consider all possibilities for me and my family. But at the end of the day, it was just too hard to leave home. I wanted to be a Niner, and we were able to agree on a deal that I was comfortable with. I couldn’t be happier, and I’m not looking back—I’m just excited to be here for two more years.”
A nine-time Pro Bowler, Juszczyk has been one of the league’s top fullbacks since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Harvard. He has spent time with both the Baltimore Ravens and 49ers, earning a reputation as an elite player at his position.
Juszczyk has over 2,000 career receiving yards and 24 total touchdowns, though his rushing production has been minimal with just over 200 yards. Last season, at age 34, he caught 19 passes for 200 yards. His special teams role has also diminished, averaging just seven snapsper game in 2024.
Leave a Reply