March 24, 2026, 4:04 a.m. ET

Former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis not only coached Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels at Arizona State but also running back Rachaad White and receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Lewis recently sat down with Ben Standig on the “Last Man Standig” podcast. Standig inquired what Lewis might have to say about first White and then Aiyuk.

The Commanders signed White to a one-year deal in free agency and have been linked to Aiyuk since it become known that the 49ers do not plan to bring him back in 2026.

Here’s what Lewis said:

Rachaad White, RB

“Rachaad is a really gifted player,” Lewis said. “He’s a good, young player. He can catch, he can run, he can block, and he was a great teammate.”

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“I’m excited for him. He felt like he got snubbed a little bit when they drafted the kid from Oregon, down there in Tampa. It’s part of the NFL, and sometimes these guys have to realize that a little bit (more). You keep doing what you are doing, and everything will be fine.”

When Standig mentioned to Lewis that White had said he and Jayden Daniels were best of friends, it was interesting that Lewis replied, “BA (Brandon Aiyuk) would argue with him on that one, though. Jayden is everybody’s best friend. It’s one of his great qualities. He was a great teammate and close with all of those guys. It is one of his great qualities.”

Brandon Aiyuk, WR

Standig asked Lewis if he had a conversation with Aiyuk regarding Aiyuk’s contract with the 49ers and the discord that resulted between the two parties.

“No, I wish I could speak on it,” he said. “I wish he would give me a call, and I could help him. You know, he has made some decisions; hopefully, it all works out for him. Because he has made some really tough decisions. He has walked away from a lot of money. As people would say, ‘You never recoup that back’. It’s just hard.”

How should the Commanders and GM Adam Peters approach Aiyuk?

“They have to judge attitudinally,’ how is he going to be here’? ‘If we bring him in here and sign him to a contract, and tomorrow another receiver from another team gets a contract that pays him two dollars more, is he going to have his lip stuck out?’ You know what I mean?”

Lewis said he often reminded his players, “We can’t have the highest paid guys on this team at every position and expect to be very good. It doesn’t work. Secondly, because you got this contract, the next contract is written off of this contract. So, play your tail off, get into the last year of it and hopefully you are still playing at a high level, and we’d love to keep you.”

Lewis seemed concerned regarding Aiyuk simply bouncing back and playing at the same level. “He has missed a year of football, that’s hard.”