The situation between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has taken a sharp turn, and now we’re starting to get a clearer picture of just how rocky things have become. Quarterback Brock Purdy spoke publicly this week about the tension surrounding Aiyuk’s status with the team-offering a glimpse into a locker room that’s trying to stay focused amid some very real off-field uncertainty.
Let’s rewind to training camp this past July. That’s when the 49ers made a bold move: they voided all of Aiyuk’s guaranteed money in 2026.
That’s not a minor accounting tweak-this is a significant contractual decision, and one that doesn’t happen often in the NFL. According to reports, the team took this step after Aiyuk missed team meetings, skipped required rehab sessions, and failed to maintain consistent communication with the organization.
Purdy didn’t go into detail-understandably so-but you could hear the disappointment in his voice when he addressed the situation on Wednesday.
“I can’t really speak to it much because it’s his situation,” Purdy said. “All the contract stuff has nothing to do with me, but it does suck because I love BA, and all the moments we’ve had on the field together have been awesome. It sucks right now, it’s all grey and we don’t really know what’s going on.”
That “grey area” Purdy mentioned? It’s where the 49ers and Aiyuk have been stuck for months.
Back in August, Aiyuk ended a long holdout by signing a four-year, $120 million extension. On paper, it looked like the team and its star wideout were finally back on the same page.
He was set to receive nearly $25 million in the form of an option bonus next season, along with a $1.2 million base salary-roughly $26-27 million in guaranteed money. But the 49ers have since argued that Aiyuk’s absences violated the terms of that deal, giving them the ability to void those guarantees without cutting him outright.
That’s a key point: Aiyuk is still under contract. The team hasn’t released him, but by voiding the guarantees, they’ve effectively severed financial ties beyond this season.
That opens the door for a few possibilities-San Francisco could release him after the season, or try to trade him again. Aiyuk hasn’t filed a grievance to challenge the voiding, which some around the league are interpreting as a sign that he may be ready to move on.
Aiyuk’s absence from the field has been just as significant as the off-field drama. He suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus in Week 7, a devastating injury that ended his season. The 49ers reportedly explored trade options during the offseason, but his injury made it difficult to find a willing partner.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed the situation back on November 22, and even for a veteran coach who’s seen just about everything in this league, this was new territory.
“I’ve been coaching over 20 years, and I’ve never been in a situation where a contract’s been voided,” Shanahan said. “It’s extremely unusual to me.
It takes a lot of things to get a contract voided. I’ve never dealt with that in my career and been in any building that’s had that.”
Still, Shanahan made it clear he hasn’t closed the door on Aiyuk returning-at least in terms of being part of the team’s plans on the field.
“What happened in July had nothing to do with the future,” Shanahan added. “I’d love to have him back out there. I just want him to get healthier and help the team out.”
For now, the 49ers are heading into their bye week at 9-4, sitting third in the NFC West. The playoff picture is still very much in play, and the focus inside the building will be on the stretch run.
But the Aiyuk situation isn’t going away. Whether it’s resolved quietly behind closed doors or spills into the offseason with more movement, one thing’s for sure: this isn’t your standard contract dispute.
It’s a rare, complex standoff between a franchise and one of its most talented players-and everyone in the building knows it.