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Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has recorded 294 catches for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns in 69 games played with the San Francisco 49ers.
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he Brandon Aiyuk saga has no end in sight. A star in the early years of his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers, culminating in a career year during the 2023 season, Aiyuk and the team agreed on a contract extension to keep the wideout in San Francisco for the foreseeable future. But starting with the negotiation process, where Aiyuk and the team appeared to butt heads, and ending with a torn ACL early in the ’24 campaign, Aiyuk has fell well short of living up to the contract. Now, Aiyuk and the 49ers are headed for a divorce, with the team looking to release him or trade him before the 2026 season begins.
But even with the 49ers putting together a revamped wide receiver core and not having Aiyuk in the plans, the 49ers are taking their time in making a decision regarding Aiyuk’s future. While the 49ers could have already released Aiyuk, he is still on the team, with head coach Kyle Shanahan saying the team is in no hurry to make a move– hoping that a trade still comes to fruition.
Shanahan: 49ers ‘In No Rush’ to Release Aiyuk
In January, general manager John Lynch confirmed that Aiyuk’s time with the 49ers is over and he has played his final snap with the team. But as March comes to a close, Aiyuk still remains a 49er. But considering how the 49ers voided all of the remaining guarantees in Aiyuk’s contract, he is not costing anything to keep– a likely contributing factor as to why the team is hoping to still find a trade partner as opposed to releasing Aiyuk.
“I don’t have a date for it, but I know eventually it’ll resolve itself. Hopefully, we could get something for it,” Shanahan said. “And I know we’re in no rush to do that. You’ve got to do what’s right for the Niners. And you know, you’re not trying to hook up any other team as fast as you possibly can. Hopefully, we can get something for that and take care of itself.”
Since signing the contract, Aiyuk has only played in seven games, amassing 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns– and missed the entire 2025 season recovering from his knee injury. Those two things will likely limit the number of trade partners the 49ers find, but given Aiyuk’s track record of success, it is still possible a receiver needy team comes calling.
Aiyuk’s Career Thus Far
A two year standout at Arizona State, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors after catching 65 passes for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns in his final season in 2019, Aiyuk was a highly touted prospect going into the 2020 NFL Draft. Eventually, the 49ers selected him 25th overall– and Aiyuk became an immediate impact player for the Red and Gold.
Playing in 12 games (11 starts) as a rookie, Aiyuk caught 60 passes for 748 yards and five touchdowns before following that up with an 826 yard sophomore campaign. In 2022, Aiyuk recorded his first 1,000 yard season, catching 78 passes for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns, while playing in every single game. Aiyuk’s breakout campaign came in 2023, where he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, earning second-team All-Pro honors and helping the 49ers return to the Super Bowl.
Dylan Grausz A lifelong sports fan, Dylan channels his passion for sports into being a journalist, where his primary goal is to provide readers with content that they love to read. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dylan’s love for the Warriors, 49ers and Giants runs deep, having the ultimate dream of being a beat reporter for one of those teams. More about Dylan Grausz
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