Brandon Aiyuk is making headlines once again, as the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver voiced his frustration with the organization once again. In a recent Instagram post, the wide receiver accused the 49ers of lying about the process of voiding his guaranteed money after the wideout missed rehab sessions.
“When new news finally came out that my guarantees were voided in November,” Aiyuk wrote, “the team continued to lie to the media/fan base acting as if that was not a decision that was made in July.”
For what it’s worth, this claim is objectively false. While the team waited until November to announce the voided guarantees, head coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear that the decision was made in July.
“That was information that I found out in July, and kind of dealt with it then,” Shanahan said at the time. “To me, the contract stuff and guarantees and things like that are irrelevant to my relationship with the player and my relationship with our team and what we’re trying to do this year. I know I went through that stuff and talked to him a lot about it back in July, but since July, it’s been all about this season and hoping he would get healthy, and he’s been working to get healthy. I’ve been waiting for him to come back when he’s healthy.”
Brandon Aiyuk Goes Off on 49ers In Latest Instagram Post
It’s astonishing how fast the wheels fell off the wagon for Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers. Selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Arizona State product was once one of the game’s better young receivers and an efficient leader of San Francisco’s passing attack. A perfect fit for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, Aiyuk helped San Francisco make the Super Bowl with a dominant 2023, recording 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns while earning Second-Team All-Pro honors.
This impressive season earned him a four-year, $120 million contract, but this proved to be a poor investment. The wide receiver played in just seven games in 2024, recording 25 receptions for 374 yards and no touchdowns on 47 targets before suffering a season-ending injury. He then went off the deep end, abandoning the team in 2025, missing his rehab appointments, and effectively demanding his release. The 49ers will grant that request before long, and Brandon Aiyuk has made it clear that he wants to join the Washington Commanders and reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels, as the two played together in college. However, that probably won’t happen.
Career-Ending Mistakes?
It’s clear that Jayden Daniels and Brandon Aiyuk used to have a strong relationship, but those days are likely over after a different controversial social media post. Taking to Instagram, the former first-round pick started trash-talking the quarterback and made fun of his relationship with his mom. The two unfollowed each other on social media, which further suggests this relationship is heavily strained.
Even before this post, it’s fair to wonder if the Washington Commanders would have signed Brandon Aiyuk. While the team could use another wide receiver to pair with Terry McLaurin, Aiyuk might not be the answer to their problems. While nobody can deny his talents, he’s speedrunning Antonio Brown’s late career and hasn’t played football in over a year. Even in 2024, he didn’t play well after receiving his massive extension.
If the Commanders want another wide receiver, they should take a look at free agent Stefon Diggs. While Diggs comes with his own off-field issues, he had a 1,000-yard season last year and doesn’t appear to be as much of a headcase as Aiyuk.
