Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, center, appeared at the 49ers’ training camp last year but made it clear with a social media post Saturday that that won’t be the case this year.
Godofredo A. Vásquez/Associated Press
Brandon Aiyuk uploaded a scathing three-minute video to YouTube in which the wide receiver cited specific grievances toward the San Francisco 49ers and his now ex-agent. The post emerged as part of an ongoing social media campaign geared toward his release from the organization.
The biggest bit of news in Aiyuk’s rant: “I will never be stepping in that (49ers) building, except for on Oct. 19 when I come through with that (damn) belt.”
Oct. 19 is the day the 49ers play host to the Washington Commanders, the apparent team of choice for the former star receiver. Aiyuk would be free to sign with any NFL team if the 49ers release him. The sticking point is that he remains on the reserve/left squad list, which means he does not count against the salary cap or the active roster. The 49ers will not owe Aiyuk another penny under his current contract, which includes an option bonus of $24.9 million due Sept. 1, until he files for reinstatement. The left squad designation is rarely used but typically meant for players contemplating retirement.
Article continues below this ad
Judging by his vow to not report to Levi’s Stadium unless he’s doing so with a visiting team, Aiyuk potentially faces a long road ahead before he can play another NFL snap. Aiyuk has three years left on his contract. The 49ers could technically maintain his rights without pay for that duration if he doesn’t take action to change his roster-exempt status.
Saturday was the first time Aiyuk aired out direct reasons for his rift with the 49ers. He emphasized the firing of his agent, Ryan Williams of Athletes First, whom Aiyuk said he cut ties with in November. The NFL Players Association’s public database still lists Williams as Aiyuk’s agent.
San Francisco Chronicle Logo
Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.
Add Preferred Source
Verbal termination is one thing. Aiyuk has yet to file the paperwork to make it official. He also noted that Williams previously served as the agent of 49ers general manager John Lynch.
Article continues below this ad
The receiver is apparently no longer on speaking terms with either.
“The reason why the agent being fired is such an important detail in this whole story is because that agent is also the agent of the general manager for that one team,” Aiyuk said.
“That agent really started this whole s— cause I fired his ass, but he wanted to text my wife like he’s smart. (Dude) don’t ever text my wife. Your ass fired, your ass grass, get up out of here. Get gone.”
Short of a comprehensive timeline, Aiyuk then took aim at Lynch, claiming he had visited the receiver’s house without permission. Aiyuk effectively ghosted the 49ers at some point last year, according to Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. Perhaps the impromptu check-in that Aiyuk took issue with was after he had severed communications.
“I’m looking at my camera, my front-door camera,” Aiyuk said, “see a big old white boy, white man, former NFL safety, and I’m like, oh, hell nah. And I know my wife is (about) to be back home soon. So I had to call my wife and say, ‘It’s a big-ass white man at the house. I don’t know what he doing over there. He was not invited. (It’s) creepy. So if you on your way home, probably just spin the block a few times because I don’t know what bro want.’ They weird.”
Article continues below this ad
Aiyuk added that Lynch tried to apologize to him for a verbal altercation with Shanahan — the when, where and why was unclear — “cause his head coach got a temperament of a (damn) toddler and was speaking out the side of his (damn) mouth to me.”
The most public example of Aiyuk and Shanahan being at odds occurred when Shanahan reprimanded Aiyuk on the 49ers practice fields for wearing the wrong-colored shorts.
“(Dudes) gonna respect me or Imma get on, bruh,” Aiyuk said, as a caption simultaneously appeared in the lower third of the video: “IDGAF HOW MANY MILLIONS I LOSE YOU GOTTA RESPECT ME FIRST!”
Aiyuk has lost a lot of money to date. The 49ers paid him $48.1 million of his four-year, $120 million contract extension before they voided all of his guaranteed money for the 2026 season, amounting to $27 million. Simple math dictates that Aiyuk risks losing the remaining $71.9 million on his existing contract as he looks for an exit to the Commanders, whose general manager is Adam Peters, a former colleague of Lynch who worked in the 49ers front office from 2017-2023.
“In terms of Brandon, love the person but can’t really comment on the player,” Peters said when asked about Aiyuk at the NFL combine, citing NFL tampering rules.
Article continues below this ad
The 49ers hoped to trade Aiyuk instead of releasing him outright for nothing in exchange. That possibility, however remote it may have been, appears as unlikely now as Aiyuk showing up. The receiver asked about his active arrest warrant (issued by the Santa Clara Police Department for a traffic violation earlier this month) in a recent Instagram post and wrote a caption that suggested he was not in the state of California: “They gone have to come catch me in (Washington) DC.”
A scenario in which he follows through on his threat to avoid reporting to 49ers training camp, and in turn shrugging off reinstatement, could mean years on the left squad list.
“These dudes is all weird, weirdos, creepy predators,” Aiyuk said near the end of his Saturday rant. “I would never, ever, ever (mess) with these (dudes). I would never, ever, ever (mess) with these (dudes). I don’t care how long I gotta wait to get to you, my baby (holds up a football with the Commanders logo), but if it involves (messing) with them (dudes) first, I’m waiting.”