Like a lot of his teammates, 49ers center Daniel Kilgore suffered through some tough times to start the 2017 season.
Kilgore, in the final year of his contract, started every game as the Niners began with nine straight losses. And, he wasn’t playing well. As analyst Jeff Deeney of Pro Football Focus noted, at one point this past season Kilgore’s pass- and run-blocking grades made him the 23rd ranked player at his position in the NFL.
But San Francisco closed with a flourish, winning five straight games under new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to finish at 6-10. And, noted Deeney, over those five straight wins Kilgore graded as one of the league’s top 10 centers.
Late in the season, Garoppolo said he loved working with Kilgore and hoped the team would bring him back in 2018.
Now the 49ers have done just that, giving Kilgore a three-year contract extension.
"He is very much a leader of this team, and his hard work and commitment to our success provide a great example for our young team," said 49ers general manager John Lynch. "When you come across players who love the game like Dan you do your best to keep them in the building."
Kilgore was able to play all 16 games for the first time in his career in 2017, and said his body felt good late in the season – one reason he performed so well.
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Kilgore is excited to stay with the team that drafted him in the fifth round of the 2011 draft.
"Super excited to continue wearing a @49ers jersey!!" he tweeted. "Thank you to the faithful who have supported me from the beginning!"
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