Brandon Aiyuk’s time with the San Francisco 49ers could not look more done.
(Eakin Howard via Getty Images)
Brandon Aiyuk’s 2025 will officially go down as a lost season. It also appears likely it will go down as his final year with the San Francisco 49ers.
The Niners wide receiver was placed on the reserve/left squad list on Saturday, officially ending his season. He had previously spent the entire campaign on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from a torn ACL he sustained last year.
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The exact circumstances of the move are unclear, but it’s a designation that means what it says on the tin. Aiyuk is no longer with the team, without permission.
It has been nearly 14 months since the Pro Bowler last appeared in a game for the Niners. His 2024 season ended prematurely with the torn ACL, but he was expected to come back this season and provide the downfield threat that earned him his four-year, $120 million contract, which was acquired in its own contentious process.
Aiyuk’s recovery extended into the season, with his progress slow bordering on non-existent. Then reports arrived last month that the relationship between player and team had fallen apart, with head coach Kyle Shanahan confirming that the team had voided the 2026 guarantees for Aiyuk’s contract in July.
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Aiyuk and the NFL Players Association did not file a grievance against the Niners for that move, setting up the 27-year-old wideout to hit free agency after this season. Putting him on the reserve/left squad further removes any possibility of a reconciliation.
The only questions remaining seem to be when the Niners will officially cut ties with the receiver and how much more money of that contract they are going to try to recoup. Aiyuk received a $1.2 million salary with a $22.85 million option bonus, for which the team seems likely to seek a partial refund.
Even if they don’t get it, the team is looking at a cap savings of at least $27 million per year over the next three seasons.
