CBS Sports (as well as the rest of the football world) is waiting to see how the Brandon Aiyuk situation plays out with the San Francisco 49ers. The one-time Second Team All-Pro has been incredibly public about his intention to never play for San Francisco ever again, and instead join his college quarterback Jayden Daniels on the Washington Commanders.
The whole saga has, indeed, been a strange one. For their part, the 49ers have not publicly stated their intention to trade Aiyuk. However, he has been acting as if the deal is already done. In the course of the past few weeks, he has posted numerous videos on social media praising the Commanders.
There are, of course, many questions surrounding this situation, but one CBS Sports analyst does not think people are asking the right one.
CBS Sports analyst questions if Brandon Aiyuk can still play in the NFL
There was a time, not too long ago, when Aiyuk was considered one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He was named Second Team All-Pro in 2023 when he had 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. This, however, led to a dramatic contract dispute with San Francisco. In the end, he signed a four-year $120 million extension with the 49ers.
But then, in 2024, he tore his ACL after playing just seven games. He has not seen the field since, and CBS Sports analyst Ryan Wilson believes teams and fans really need to start considering whether or not Aiyuk can even play professional football again after nearly two years away:
“But we might be focusing on the wrong thing: the biggest issue working against Brandon Aiyuk isn’t his age; it’s the time away from football played at the highest level.
“We tend to lump every ACL recovery into the same bucket. A player tears a knee, rehabs for a year, and comes back. Aiyuk’s situation is different; between the injury, rehabilitation and everything surrounding his future, he’ll likely go almost two full calendar years without meaningful football. That’s an absurdly long time for a skill-position player whose game depends on timing, rhythm and repetition.”
The time away from football is, indeed, a concern. Also worth noting is the fact that the 49ers voided all of Aiyuk’s guaranteed money on his contract after he failed to comply with the requirements of his rehab. He has missed nearly two years of play, yes, but he also has probably missed that time due to his own actions (or inactions).
At the end of the day, though, the most important question is not just Aiyuk’s physical health, but his mental health as well.
