SAN FRANCISCO — Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains away from the San Francisco 49ers as of October 20, 2026, trending toward missing a second consecutive National Football League season entirely. The 28-year-old pass catcher has failed to apply for reinstatement after being placed on the reserve/left team list late in the 2025 season.
The prolonged standoff stems from a four-year, $120 million contract signed in August 2024 that preceded a devastating knee injury just two months later. Aiyuk has actively lobbied for a trade or release to join the Washington Commanders without communicating his rehab progress to franchise officials.
The details
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco front office dealt with mounting frustration throughout the 2025 campaign when Aiyuk stopped updating the organization on his physical rehabilitation. Team officials subsequently placed the disgruntled wide receiver on the reserve/left team list in late 2025 after he severed routine communication channels.
During his exile from the facility, he posted images on social media wearing Commanders gear while attempting to force a relocation. A former teammate described these public maneuvers as desperate actions, noting that the player clearly wants to return to the field through any available mechanism.
Another former San Francisco teammate remarked that Aiyuk's previous humility disappeared during the contract dispute, adding that the situation devolved into an unwanted locker room distraction. Despite public lobbying efforts to reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels, he must formally apply for reinstatement before any transaction can legally occur.
Background
Selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft out of Arizona State, Aiyuk established himself as a premier offensive weapon during his fourth professional season. In 2023, he recorded 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, earning Second Team All-Pro honors.
Prior to his breakout 2023 campaign, he posted consistent numbers during the 2022 season by hauling in 78 passes for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns across 17 appearances. Those productive years justified the massive financial commitment the franchise made to him in August 2024 before the knee injuries occurred.
What's next
The Washington Commanders already addressed their receiving corps during the offseason by signing veteran Stefon Diggs to pair alongside Terry McLaurin, making a trade for Aiyuk financially and strategically unrealistic for the franchise until at least the 2027 league year.
Unless Aiyuk files official reinstatement paperwork with the NFL office before the conclusion of the 2026 regular season, his current contract status with San Francisco will remain frozen indefinitely into the next calendar year.