The San Francisco 49ers had a wild saga with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk this offseason, voiding his guarantees as the wideout stayed away from the team for the entire 2025 season.
Aiyuk, who suffered a torn ACL and MCL in October of 2024, was expected to be a focal part of the 49ers offense upon his return to the team from rehab. That was initially anticipated to be between Week 5 and Week 10, head coach Kyle Shanahan said, but there was clear friction between the team and the wideout.
San Francisco reportedly voided the guarantees of Aiyuk’s contract late in the offseason because of a violation, and the wide receiver hadn’t been seen in the building over the past few months.
Then, on Wednesday, at their end-of-season press conference, general manager John Lynch shared that ‘it’s safe to say’ Aiyuk ‘has played his last snap as a Niner.’
That news was widely expected, given the 49ers moves and how the last few months turned out, but it is now confirmed. Without Aiyuk this season, San Francisco’s wide receiver core didn’t have the impact the team wanted.
There were some major games from reserve wideouts, including 100-yard games from both Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson. Jauan Jennings also caught 55 passes for 643 yards and nine touchdowns. But Ricky Pearsall was limited due to injuries, playing in only nine games after having some big games early. Younger receivers Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins played in zero and four games, respectively, this year as they also dealt with injuries.
Overall, it was a different year than expected for the position group, which will be a priority for the 49ers this offseason, be it in the draft or free agency.
But the Aiyuk saga is now expected to conclude shortly, just one season after the 49ers gave out a four-year, $120 million extension to the rising star. At 27 years old and coming off a year of rehab, Aiyuk will now play elsewhere in 2026.
About the Author: Insidethe49
