What became formalized on Saturday has been known within the walls of the San Francisco 49ers facility for some time: Brandon Aiyuk was no longer part of the picture, and the team’s playoff push would be made without him.
“Unfortunately, it seemed to kind of be over a while ago,” fullback and team captain Kyle Juszczyk told The Sacramento Bee after the 49ers’ 37-24 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
“We all had great experiences with BA and he was a great teammate for a number of years. It’s really unfortunate how it’s worked out. (Saturday’s) news didn’t really change anything. We had moved on here for a while.”
Aiyuk hasn’t played a snap with the 49ers since tearing his ACL in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in October of 2024. News came out last month that the team voided the guarantees on his contract for 2026 around the start of training camp last summer. On Saturday he was placed on the reserve/left squad list, officially ending the possibility of playing this season and likely setting the stage for his departure.
“It’s been pretty simple for me,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I haven’t seen him in a month. Same with our team. So it hasn’t been an issue with our team at all.”
Shanahan said he’s had no communication with Aiyuk, who signed a four-year $120 million contract that came after protracted negotiations that rankled many within the organization. His knee injury came seven weeks into the following season while averaging a career-low 53.4 yards per game with no touchdowns.
Aiyuk’s departure being all but finalized raises questions about the receiver position going forward while the wide-ranging assumption is Aiyuk will be released if he can’t be traded in the coming offseason.
“I don’t say that’s for sure been decided,” Shanahan said. “I haven’t had ... a reason to think about him for a long time. He is under contract next year. BA’s a guy we’ve had a relationship with for a while. I’ve always liked BA. Everyone knows how good of a player he is.
“It’s extremely unfortunate that it’s got to this point.”
Yet despite Aiyuk’s absence, along with a series of other injuries and bouts of adversity, the 49ers came out of Sunday’s win at 10-4 with a high probability of reaching the playoffs with three games remaining. They could clinch a playoff spot next week as they sit in the No. 6 seed, two games ahead of the No. 8 Detroit Lions (8-6) who are behind Green Bay (9-4-1) for the final playoff spot.
However, questions about receiver remain. Ricky Pearsall exited the game with Tennessee after the first snap because of an ankle injury, and then late in the game left the field after aggravating the PCL injury that caused him to miss time between Sept. 28 and Nov. 16.
Still, Pearsall finished with a game-high 96 yards while Jauan Jennings added a pair of touchdown receptions, giving him a career-high 7.
Pearsall’s knee and ankle will undergo further testing on Monday.
Ricky Pearsall catches a pass during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Levi's Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Santa Clara. Thearon W. Henderson Getty Images
49ers handling adversity differently this time
San Francisco has been one of the most injured teams in the NFL throughout the season, which has followed an unfortunate trend that hampered them in 2020 and 2024, when they finished 6-10 and 6-11, respectively.
But the 49ers’ season has gone differently this year despite similar circumstances. They’re poised for their fifth playoff appearance since Shanahan took over in 2017 despite quarterback Brock Purdy missing eight games with turf toe, Nick Bosa and first-round pick Mykel Williams being sidelined for the year with ACL tears, Fred Warner breaking his ankle Oct. 12 in Tampa Bay and Aiyuk, a former All-Pro, not playing a snap.
“Those seasons, it seemed like we were just doomed immediately when people got hurt,” Juszczyk said. “I think this time around ... having Mac Jones made a huge difference. Usually when you lose your starting quarterback there’s a steep dropoff, and I don’t think with Mac there was as much of a dropoff and he was able to right the ship.”
Juszczyk also went on to praise Christian McCaffrey, who has played in every game this season after missing the first eight last year with bilaterial Achilles tendinitis before suffering a PCL injury in a loss to the Buffalo Bills in early December. It caused him to miss the final five games.
Could Fred Warner return?
Warner, the All-Pro linebacker and potential Hall of Famer, has been optimistic about his return. Last week on Instagram he posted video of walking in cleats without a brace or wrap on his injured ankle. He said on his “Real Ones, The League” podcast that he’s concluded his two-week rehab process allowing him to begin working out in the 49ers’ weight room.
“Here to say, all that is gone,” Warner said of the walking boot, crutches and ankle brace he wore previously. He was seen at Levi’s Stadium greeting his teammates after the game.
Jauan Jennings of the San Francisco 49ers scores a touchdown against Amani Hooker of the Tennessee Titans during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium on December 14, 2025 in Santa Clara. Ezra Shaw Getty Images
“We’re making great progress. I’m really happy with where things are,” he said. “Hey, I guess time will tell. Never say never.”
Wild Card weekend is scheduled for Jan. 10 through Jan. 12, which will be 13 weeks since Warner’s injury. The 49ers in Warner’s absence have played Tatum Bethune, a former seventh-round pick in 2024, and Curtis Robinson, and former undrafted player out of Stanford in 2021.
Suffice to say, Warner’s return would be big news if he can return to anchor the defense in the postseason.