The Brandon Aiyuk era in San Francisco appears to be all but over, and the writing’s been on the wall for a while. After a year filled with silence, speculation, and a whole lot of social media drama, the 49ers have placed Aiyuk on the reserve/left team list-effectively shutting him down for the rest of the season. That move all but confirms what many around the league have suspected: Aiyuk’s time in the Bay is done.
It’s a tough ending for a player who, not long ago, looked like the future of the 49ers’ receiving corps. Just last season, Aiyuk was the go-to target in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, putting together a breakout campaign and delivering one of the defining moments of the year with a jaw-dropping catch in the NFC Championship Game. That play helped punch the Niners’ ticket to the Super Bowl and seemed to solidify Aiyuk’s place as a foundational piece moving forward.
But almost immediately after that postseason run, things started to unravel. Contract negotiations turned rocky, and Aiyuk followed a now-familiar script-scrubbing his social media of all 49ers references and requesting a trade. It was a move reminiscent of Deebo Samuel’s own offseason standoff a few years earlier, but this time, the resolution didn’t bring the same good vibes.
San Francisco eventually handed Aiyuk a four-year, $120 million extension, but the deal didn’t sit well inside the building. There was a sense that the team had been strong-armed into keeping a player whose heart might already have been elsewhere. And after not playing a single snap this season-his last appearance being that brutal knee injury in 2024-it’s fair to say the relationship has run its course.
So what’s next for Aiyuk? All signs point to Washington.
The Commanders have quietly become a landing spot for former 49ers, and there are plenty of dots to connect here. Deebo Samuel is already in D.C., now catching passes in a new system after his own up-and-down exit from San Francisco.
Former Niners executive Adam Peters is calling the shots as Washington’s general manager, and he’s shown a clear preference for familiar faces from his time out west.
And there’s another layer: Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and Aiyuk go way back-they were teammates at Arizona State. That kind of chemistry doesn’t go unnoticed in NFL front offices, and it could make Washington an ideal place for Aiyuk to hit the reset button on his career.
Meanwhile, back in San Francisco, Aiyuk’s departure opens the door for Jauan Jennings to step into a bigger role. The Niners could use the cap space freed up by voiding Aiyuk’s deal to retain Jennings, a reliable target who’s earned more opportunities. It’s not a one-for-one replacement in terms of talent or upside, but Jennings brings toughness and consistency-traits this coaching staff values deeply.
If Aiyuk can stay healthy and rediscover his 2023 form, the Commanders could be getting a dynamic playmaker with something to prove. And for the Niners, this might be the clean break they need to keep building around the pieces that still want to be in San Francisco.
No matter how it shakes out, the Aiyuk saga is a reminder of how quickly things can change in the NFL. One year you’re making miracle catches in the postseason; the next, you’re off the roster and looking for a fresh start.