As Colton McKivitz enters his seventh season with the San Francisco 49ers, the veteran right tackle has his sights set on a milestone that represents trust and commitment to the organization.
"I want to be on that 10-year wall," McKivitz said.
Originally drafted by the 49ers in 2020, McKivitz's path to being a starter for San Francisco and earning a three-year contract extension hasn't been linear. Reaching the 49ers 10-year wall would mean joining a list of names that starts with Hall of Fame running back Joe Perry and includes many legends such as Joe Montana and Bryant Young.
"I don't want to leave here. Obviously being cut, I've got some scars there," he said. "But, there was a reason why I was drafted here, why I was cut here, and why I still play here. Now I've had three good seasons of starting and I'm going into the fourth."
While describing his commitment to the organization, McKivitz pointed to what he believes makes the 49ers different: a culture centered on winning and a strong sense of connection throughout the building.
"There's a sense of family," he said. "When you have a core group of players who understand a winning culture and understand the standard of what this franchise was built on… it's hard for guys to turn that away."
McKivitz said players are drawn to San Francisco because everyone, from leadership to the locker room, shares the same goal.
"There's a sole goal in mind in this building," he said. "And it starts from the top down."
Building a long-term future with the 49ers has also meant building a connection to the city of San Francisco. During the offseason, the right tackle has become known for incorporating the daunting, steep streets of San Francisco into his training routine, running the city's hills and staircases from Kearny and Vallejo to Coit Tower. Last year, he described the challenge as both physical and mental.
"You look up those streets and you want to quit right away," he said. "A lot of it was mental and seeing how far you're willing to push yourself.
"It's just cool to embrace The City. Not a lot of guys do it, but it's just a cool place to work. I saw it and embraced what San Francisco and the 49ers really are."
That investment off the field has continued through CM68, McKivitz's youth development and empowerment camp focused on helping young athletes grow as leaders through football and character development. Last year, McKivitz hosted a camp for local high school athletes in San Francisco with support from Mayor Daniel Lurie.
Those relationships and opportunities, McKivitz said, are part of why remaining with the 49ers matters.
"The grass isn't always greener on the other side.... There's a lot more besides the money that a contract gives you that's available in this town, in this city, that's more important to me than a dollar amount. The connections I make off the field in San Francisco and what I'm doing with the youth in The City and in Idaho as well, there's no reason for me to risk or just take a chance to go somewhere else."
