It appears the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk are heading toward an ugly split, despite the veteran pass catcher signing a long-term deal with the franchise just last year. The tension that has been building for months now looks closer than ever to a breaking point.
Aiyuk has missed the entire season while recovering from the major knee injury he suffered in October 2024. Initially projected to return at some time in 2025, his recovery stalled while the relationship between him and the organization quietly deteriorated behind the scenes.
According to The Athletic, the situation escalated to a new level in recent weeks. San Francisco voided the guaranteed money in Aiyuk’s contract for 2026, a massive $24.935 million option bonus, citing repeated absences, missed meetings, and a failure to fulfill contractual responsibilities. The move is rare, severe, and a clear sign that the 49ers are no longer willing to wait.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan did not hide his frustration when asked about the decision. He reportedly questioned Aiyuk’s commitment:
“Been coaching over 20 years and I’ve never been in a situation where a contract has been voided. I’m done babysitting grown men. If you want to be a 49er, you show up, you work, and you respect the people in this building. Brandon didn’t do that. He missed meetings, ignored communication, and acted like the rules didn’t apply to him. That’s not commitment, that’s entitlement. And entitlement has no place on my team. Voiding that guaranteed money wasn’t just the right move, it was the only move.”
League insiders say Aiyuk told NFLPA representatives that he does not plan to file an official grievance, a response many around the league interpreted as resignation, and a sign that his exit from San Francisco at the end of the season is now expected.
The falling-out is all the more shocking given that Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension in August 2024 after months of heated contract negotiations. But just weeks later, he tore the ACL, MCL, and meniscus in his right knee against the Kansas City Chiefs, abruptly ending his season and setting off a chain of setbacks that lasted into 2025.
Before the injury, Aiyuk had been one of the 49ers’ top offensive weapons. His breakout during the 2023 season, where he recorded 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, positioned him as one of the team’s core building blocks. Now, with San Francisco pushing for a playoff run, it remains unclear whether he will ever wear red and gold again.
Multiple people inside the organization, including several teammates, reportedly tried reaching out to Aiyuk in recent months to reconnect with him and encourage him back into team activities. Those efforts, however, were unsuccessful, with sources saying Aiyuk often arrived at the facility alone at unusual hours and left before coaches and teammates were present.
Given the size of the contract and the volatility of the past two seasons, it would once have been unthinkable for Aiyuk to hit free agency before 2026. But now, insiders believe his time in the Bay Area is coming to an abrupt conclusion as the 49ers brace for a separation that once seemed unimaginable.
As discussions continued around the voided money and the team’s frustration, Aiyuk added fuel to the fire late Friday night. In an Instagram Story that disappeared within hours, he posted a short message that read:
“Real ones don’t need meetings to know their impact. I’ll keep giving back to the people who actually matter.”
Alongside the message, Aiyuk posted a photo of himself standing inside the vault room at Icebox, posing with heavy jewelry while accompanied by two friends. Instead of showing any connection to the team or his rehab, the image appeared tone-deaf and out of touch, immediately angering 49ers fans who felt he was flaunting luxury at the same moment the organization had just cut his guaranteed money.
Within minutes, 49ers fans flooded social media with anger, accusing him of deflecting responsibility and using charity as a shield while refusing to meet basic team expectations. For a fanbase already frustrated with how the past year has unfolded, the post only widened the rift. Several teammates in the locker room reportedly unfollowed his social profiles within minutes, signaling clear frustration behind the scenes.
What was once a promising partnership now looks broken beyond repair, and the end may arrive sooner than anyone expected.
