SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is returning to the San Francisco 49ers on a two-year, $8 million contract just days after being cut, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn't been announced. ESPN first reported the deal.
The Niners had officially released Juszczyk on Tuesday instead of paying him a $4.1 million salary this season and up to an additional $500,000 in offseason workout and per-game roster bonuses. The team took on a $3.6 million dead cap charge with the move but brought him back on the new deal. Juszczyk was nearly cut last season but agreed to take a pay cut to stay in San Francisco.
The 33-year-old Juszczyk was one of the first players signed after coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch took over in 2017 and has been a key part of the offense since then thanks to his versatility.
In an era when few teams use fullbacks, Juszczyk has played about half the offensive snaps during his time with San Francisco and has made the Pro Bowl all eight seasons with the team and nine times overall. He was a first-team All-Pro in 2023 and second-teamer in 2024 after fullbacks were added back as a position for All-Pro the past two years.
Juszczyk had 19 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns last season, while also rushing for 26 yards and a TD. He has 184 catches for 1,895 yards and 13 TDs in eight seasons with the Niners, along with 237 yards rushing and six more TDs on the ground.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
FILE - NFC fullback Kyle Juszczyk, of the San Francisco 49ers, looks to the stands after scoring a touchdown during the flag football event at the NFL Pro Bowl, Feb. 2, 2025, in Orlando. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Dreaming of going to Harvard University?
Well, the university has made things a little easier with an announcement Monday that students whose families make less than $200,000 won’t pay tuition. The university said the plan goes into effect for the 2025-2026 academic year and is aimed at making Harvard more affordable, especially for middle income students. Those students could also get additional financial aid to cover other expenses.
“Putting Harvard within financial reach for more individuals widens the array of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that all of our students encounter, fostering their intellectual and personal growth,” Harvard University President Alan Garber said in a statement. “By bringing people of outstanding promise together to learn with and from one another, we truly realize the tremendous potential of the University.”
Garber said the plan also means students whose families make less than $100,000 will pay nothing, meaning their tuition as well as other expenses like food and housing will be covered. As a result, the university estimates that going forward nearly 90% of families in the United States whose children are accepted will qualify for some form of financial aid.
"Harvard has long sought to open our doors to the most talented students, no matter their financial circumstances,” Hopi Hoekstra, the Edgerley Family Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, said. “This investment in financial aid aims to make a Harvard College education possible for every admitted student, so they can pursue their academic passions and positively impact our future.”
The announcement is the latest from an elite higher education institution offering tuition breaks and comes as the rising cost of higher education has some questioning whether college is worth the price.
Surveys find that Americans are increasingly skeptical about the value of a degree, and the percentage of high school graduates heading to college has fallen to levels not seen in decades, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Yet research still finds that, over time, a degree pays off. Americans with a bachelor’s degree earn a median of $2.8 million during their careers, 75% more than if they had only a high school diploma, according to research from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.
The rising tuition at private institutions — increasing 4% over the past decade — has led to several big name institutions offering similar deals to Harvard's.
In November, MIT announced that students whose families make less than $200,000 will be able to attend tuition-free this fall. Similarly to Harvard, students whose families make less than $100,000 will pay nothing at all. Those income limits are from previous limits of $140,000 and $75,000 respectively.
“The cost of college is a real concern for families across the board,” MIT President Sally Kornbluth said. “We’re determined to make this transformative educational experience available to the most talented students, whatever their financial circumstances. So, to every student out there who dreams of coming to MIT: Don’t let concerns about cost stand in your way.”
UMass announced in October that Massachusetts students whose families make up to $75,000 will be able to attend all four undergraduate campuses tuition-free. The University of Michigan announced in December that in-state undergraduate students whose families have incomes and assets up to $125,000 will attend tuition free.
FILE - Pedestrians walk through the gates of Harvard Yard at Harvard University, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
