Nearly 11 months after the San Francisco 49ers placed Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list, the NFL reinstated the 28-year-old wide receiver, according to Monday’s league transaction wire.
Commissioner Roger Goodell granted San Francisco a two-game roster exemption, which expires on Nov. 23, meaning Aiyuk’s reinstatement does not affect his roster status in the immediate future. This allows the 49ers and Aiyuk’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to continue working toward a resolution to this yearlong saga.
Aiyuk is not back on the 49ers’ 53-man roster, nor will he ever be. The likeliest outcome, at some point during the two-week exemption period, is that he gets released. Another, far less likely, outcome: the 49ers find a trade partner for Aiyuk ahead of Tuesday’s 1 p.m. PST deadline.
The 49ers have not released Aiyuk because they believe he owes them about $13 million in bonus forfeiture for the time he has missed. General manager John Lynch last week called the situation “fluid,” suggesting the two sides are hashing out the financials. The NFL Management Council and the NFL Players Association are involved.
Aiyuk and Rosenhaus made headlines Friday when they exited a black Mercedes Sprinter van and spoke to a horde of reporters outside the 49ers’ business offices in Santa Clara. After Aiyuk made a brief statement expressing his desire to be reinstated to the NFL, he walked in alongside Rosenhaus and an NFLPA representative for a 75-minute meeting with undisclosed 49ers officials. When they exited the building, a resolution had not been reached. Rosenhaus told reporters the situation was “to be continued,” and that they would comment further when appropriate.
The 49ers’ business offices are near Levi’s Stadium but not on the same grounds, indicating it was not a football-related meeting but business-related. Head coach Kyle Shanahan did not attend the meeting, and he has made clear he has no interest in Aiyuk making his way back onto the 49ers’ roster.
“It means absolutely nothing to our team,” Shanahan said Monday when asked about Aiyuk’s status. “That’s all administrative stuff to me.”
When asked Friday whether he hopes to play again for the 49ers, Aiyuk responded, “I hope to get reinstated into the National Football League.” That step is complete. Next up for the two sides: putting an official end to a messy divorce.