Brandon Aiyuk is still reaching for Washington, even if the Commanders already moved on.
The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver resurfaced on Instagram this week wearing Commanders gear again, keeping alive a theme that has run through his offseason posts. Aiyuk seemed convinced he would eventually link up with quarterback Jayden Daniels, but that reunion never happened. His latest post made clear he still hasn’t completely let go of the idea.
It’s September 2nd and Brandon Aiyuk is still rocking burgundy and gold, just without the #Commanders name or logo... 😂
🎥: brandonaiyuk on IG | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/ezqnhqeFwH
- SleeperCommanders (@SleeperWSH) September 2, 2026
The problem for Aiyuk is that this whole thing has already gone sideways. He handled his situation poorly, the 49ers were not blameless, and his social media outbursts - especially the ones aimed at nearly everyone involved - only made the mess louder. When he turned some of that shade toward Daniels, one of the few people who would have had his back, that was enough for many Commanders fans to close the door.
Washington, for its part, never truly chased him. There may have been a point where the idea was worth exploring, but that moment has passed. General manager Adam Peters also suggested Aiyuk’s online behavior played into things, and made clear that Stefon Diggs had always been the preferred choice.
There’s another catch, too: Aiyuk is still under contract with San Francisco, and he has not applied for reinstatement. Until that changes, the rest is just noise. Once the season gets rolling, the league may not spend much time thinking about him at all.
That would be a hard fall for a player who looked on the verge of stardom after earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2023. The 49ers paid him like a centerpiece, but everything quickly unraveled. The Arizona State product then dealt with a serious knee injury, and his relationship with important people in the organization broke down.
No trade market really materialized. Interest faded.
Washington may have been his last real escape route, which helps explain the steady stream of come-and-get-me hints. But the Commanders never returned the signal.
Now, the whole thing feels like a one-man plea that has run out of road.
Washington has bigger concerns anyway. The Commanders open their 2026 season against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, and that Week 1 matchup kicks off a difficult early stretch. A fast start matters, because if momentum doesn’t come quickly, the heat on head coach Dan Quinn will only rise.
At this stage, it would be a surprise if Aiyuk ever made it back onto an NFL field.
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For Styles, the green dot role is more than a sign of promise. It puts him at the center of the action in a system that asks a lot of its linebackers, while also giving him the benefit of Luvus experience beside him. Washington does not have to rush the rookie into carrying everything at once, but it is clear the staff already believes he can handle more than a typical first-year player. [Read more 🡒]