49ers “going after” Brandon Aiyuk’s $18.4M payday after WR’s fiery franchise rant
Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs after a catch against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs after a catch against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The relationship between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk appears to have reached another breaking point.
Attention has shifted from his future on the field to the financial ramifications of his contract after his series of social media rants. According to 49ers insider Matt Maiocco, San Francisco could now be looking to recover a significant portion of the money already paid to the star receiver.
“Brandon Aiyuk gave the 49ers an incredible gift, an incredible out by just not fulfilling the terms of his contract and defaulting on his contract after he got injured with the torn ACL,” said Maiocco. “The 49ers are certainly going after that money, and there's no representation right now for Brandon Iayuk, according to him."
October 6, 2024, Santa Clara, California, USA: NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2024: 49ers vs Jets: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk 11 during pregame warmup at Levi s Stadium. His first game since signing his new contract o a four-year, million contract extension in August 2024, with million guaranteed. However, the 49ers recently voided the guaranteed money for the 2026 season due to Aiyuk not meeting contract requirements, an unusual situation that may lead to his departure from the team. Santa Clara USA - ZUMAk13_ 20241006_zap_k13_048 Copyright: xPaulxKurodax
October 6, 2024, Santa Clara, California, USA: NFL, American Football Herren, USA 2024: 49ers vs Jets: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk 11 during pregame warmup at Levi s Stadium. His first game since signing his new contract o a four-year, million contract extension in August 2024, with million guaranteed. However, the 49ers recently voided the guaranteed money for the 2026 season due to Aiyuk not meeting contract requirements, an unusual situation that may lead to his departure from the team. Santa Clara USA - ZUMAk13_ 20241006_zap_k13_048 Copyright: xPaulxKurodax
The 49ers found an opportunity to avoid financial obligations. Since Aiyuk allegedly failed to comply with contract requirements, such as attending team-directed rehabilitation or medical check-ins after his injury, it allows the franchise to cancel the guaranteed money.
“If the 49ers voided his contract a year ago in July, they could get as much as 18.4 million back,” added Maiocco in the same podcast. “They could get, if they just go ‘okay, he had the two years, so they’d get 13.8 million back, whatever the case may be.”
According to Maiocco, the 49ers will be going after the money, especially due to Aiyuk’s current situation.
What makes the decision tougher for Aiyuk is the lack of representation, which may have left him without someone knowledgeable about the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement to challenge the 49ers' actions.
It is a reason why Aiyuk did not file a grievance after the team voided the remaining guaranteed portion of his contract.
Meanwhile, he has not stopped with his fiery rants, and it's not just directed towards the 49ers anymore.
Brandon Aiyuk extends his rants towards the NFLPA
Aiyuk was limited to just seven games after suffering a torn ACL and missed the entirety of the 2025 season as well. Since then, he has been very much active on social media and present in the news.
Aiyuk made headlines with a recent video in which he referred to 49ers general manager John Lynch as "creepy" for unexpectedly visiting his home and said head coach Kyle Shanahan has the temperament of a "toddler."
While his rants were usually aimed towards the 49ers, it has now extended towards the NFLPA, as found in SI analyst Grant Cohn's tweet, who posted a screenshot of Aiyuk's Instagram story.
“When members of the union that is in place to help players is lying/withholding information from a player on behalf of the team alongside a certified agent…that's some straight BS,” Aiyuk posted in a story
Aiyuk has been pleading with the 49ers to cut him so as to join the Washington Commanders. However, with nothing happening, he is now placing some of the blame on the NFL Players Association for not helping him.
What do you think will happen with Aiyuk? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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Written by
Dhruv Vishnu Nair
Edited by
Soheli Tarafdar