The San Francisco 49ers/Brandon Aiyuk saga has been an ugly slugfest for over a year now. Enough is enough.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs after a catch against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium.
It’s time for the San Francisco 49ers to free Brandon Aiyuk. And, more importantly, free themselves.
The saga between the 49ers and the maligned wide receiver has been several years in the making, going all the way back to 2024 amid a contentious contract negotiation. There was a trade request, a hold-in, reported trade momentum, and then what seemed like a breakthrough. Aiyuk signed a 4-year, $120 million contract to stay in San Francisco before posting 25 receptions for 374 yards in 7 games in 2024. We haven’t seen him since, other than for all the wrong reasons. That includes open flirtation with the Washington Commanders, a concerning speeding incident that has since yielded an active warrant, and alleged missed rehab sessions with the team from the knee injury that cost him most of 2024. Don’t forget the drama, too. Plenty of drama.
Now, with the dead of summer bearing down on us, Aiyuk is starting to make some noise as he continues in his bid to leave San Francisco.
It’s time for the San Francisco 49ers to give Brandon Aiyuk what he wants
#49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk posted a new video on Instagram:
“Stop running from the belt. The belt coming.” pic.twitter.com/i9s8yB6kvR
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 7, 2026
Aiyuk can say whatever he would like at this point. His stock is already tanked to the umpteenth degree and, thanks to that 2024 contract extension, he’s owed $27 million in 2026. But due to his off-field conduct, that money is no longer guaranteed — and the 49ers are sure to not pay it either way.
But let me ask you this: what NFL franchise in their right mind would trade anything (at all) for a receiver who hasn’t played a game in 20 months on the heels of a major knee injury? The injury isn’t the only overhead, either. That warrant stemming from speeding? It was issued just last week.
The answer here is obvious. No one. Not even the Washington Commanders, who Aiyuk has made no bones about his desire to play for. Not with $27 million in non-guaranteed money lingering as overhead.
A Brandon Aiyuk trade isn’t coming
The contract is un-tradeable. And if the 49ers are milking this situation in order to get something for the maligned receiver, we’ve reached the point where the compensation isn’t even worth the headache that comes with his continued affiliation from the team. Even if the affiliation is from afar.
I also understand that, currently, the 49ers are facing no ramifications for holding Aiyuk because he’s on the “Did Not Report” list. There’s no cap ramifications. And, as previously mentioned, they’ve already had his 2026 guarantees nullified. But being petty only carries you so far. This is still a dead-end road.
So from that standpoint, I agree with Aiyuk. Stop running. Not from a belt, though. From the inevitable. It’s time for the 49ers to put this sideshow behind them — regardless of whatever reasons they’ve continued to string this situation along. We all know how this ends. Release Brandon Aiyuk and let’s all be done with it, already.
