San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed ahead of Wednesday’s practice that the team has no plans to open any practice windows this week or next. That means fans will have to continue waiting to potentially see wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk return to the field.
This decision is not a surprise. If the 49ers were going to open a practice window, it likely would have happened before Wednesday’s session. And it seems unlikely the team would do so on a short week after a Monday night game.
The 49ers will enter their bye week following Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, making it improbable that a practice window will open during that stretch. The earliest opportunity for Aiyuk to return is after the bye week, as San Francisco prepares to host the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.
Of course, there’s ongoing drama surrounding Aiyuk’s situation, which may come into play. The Athletic recently reported that the 49ers voided the 2026 guarantees in his contract, a move that could set the stage for a split between the player and the team. While some speculate this could mark an end to Aiyuk’s time in red and gold, Shanahan remains hopeful the wideout will return before the season ends.
Shanahan’s comments also mean that practice windows for wide receiver Jacob Cowing and defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos will not open until after the bye week.
Regarding Gross-Matos, Shanahan said, “He’s coming along. It’s been a tough year for him, missing all of training camp with his knee. And when you do that, and you come back, it makes you so susceptible to other things, and that’s kind of what’s been a story a little bit this year. But he’s got a chance to come back, and he’s working real hard at it, and I think we’ll have a chance here after the bye.”