The wide receiver will not be able to return to San Francisco this year and everything points to an exit from the franchise in the offseason
SANTA CLARA — Although the San Francisco 49ers publicly expressed some hope that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk would return this season, that optimism faded this Saturday when the team placed him on the team’s reserve/absent list.
This designation, which is generally used for players who plan to retire or temporarily step away from football, means that Brandon Aiyuk is not eligible to play with the 49ers in 2025. Brandon Aiyukwho has been recovering from a torn ACL and MCL and meniscus in his right knee, has not been seen at the facility in recent weeks, and his inclusion on the roster suggests he has not been with the team or participated in rehab sessions.
It is also likely that this is the next step towards a separation between the Niners y Brandon Aiyuk in the low season. On Thursday, the tight end of the NinersGeorge Kittle, suggested that it was unlikely that Brandon Aiyuk would return.
“Right now, it doesn’t look like he’s coming back,” Kittle said. “I try my best not to think about it because I adore Brandon. He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve ever played with. We have a lot of moments together from his rookie year, every year we’ve played together. That’s him Brandon that I remember So if I think about ‘I wish I was here,’ it makes me a little sad.”
The extent of the disagreement between the parties became public late last month when it was revealed that the Niners had voided approximately $27 million in guarantees that Brandon Aiyuk had in his contract for 2026. This happened during the summer because Brandon Aiyuk He missed the team’s rehabilitation sessions due to his right knee injury.
Before Saturday, Brandon Aiyuk had spent this season on the physically unable to play list due to the knee injury, and the Niners They hoped that at some point they would be able to open their 21-day training window and potentially have him back on the field.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated early in the season that the hope was that Brandon Aiyuk returned to training mid-season.
In early December, general manager John Lynch expressed some hope that Brandon Aiyuk could practice, but recognized that it was increasingly unlikely.
“Is it realistic? I’m not sure,” Lynch told radio station KNBR on December 2. “Hope? Yeah. I guess I’d leave it there… We’re a better football team when Brandon is out there, but it’s probably just that. Hope.”
After signing a four-year, $120 million contract extension with the Niners in August 2024, Brandon Aiyuk He injured his knee on October 20, 2024. He had surgery the following month and has been recovering since.
Now, it is likely that Niners y Brandon Aiyuk They will part ways this offseason, and it has not yet been decided how.
Because the 49ers voided his future guarantees, they would take on nearly $30 million in dead money if they cut him in the offseason. They could also designate it as a post-June 1 cut to take on $13.325 million in dead money next year and the rest in 2027. The same numbers would apply if the Niners they manage to exchange Brandon Aiyuk.
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