Brandon Aiyuk has not played a single snap for the San Francisco 49ers since October 2024. He suffered a serious knee injury in Week 7 of the 2024 season and has been on the reserve list since, missing team meetings and becoming the subject of heavy trade speculation. On Wednesday, his increasingly public separation from the franchise took a significant new turn.
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Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension just weeks before his knee injury. The 49ers later voided $27 million in guaranteed money after he stopped attending team activities and meetings. General manager John Lynch stated publicly that he does not expect Aiyuk to play for San Francisco again. The team has actively sought trade partners since the offseason began, with no deal materializing despite the receiver’s previous Pro Bowl production.
The warrant stems from a video Aiyuk posted on YouTube in December 2025.ESPNconfirmed the Santa Clara County DA’s office issued the warrant, which shows Aiyuk behind the wheel of a Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, driving at speeds well above the posted 40 mph limit on West Tasman Drive, the road that runs directly past Levi’s Stadium.
The charge is a misdemeanor for exhibition of speed. Aiyuk deleted the video days later and issued a public apology. In Aiyuk’s full statement, he wrote online that car content would no longer include speeding.
“Sorry y’all, my car content won’t come with speeding anymore,” Aiyuk wrote in his apology. “Was praying with my son tonight and wouldn’t want anybody else to miss out on an opportunity to do the same with their loved ones!”
The apology did not end the legal process. Santa Clara police forwarded the case to prosecutors in March 2026. The Washington Post reported that the DA’s office confirmed the warrant on June 3, with DA spokesman Sean Webby confirming it was in direct response to the December video. No arrest has been made yet, and no court dates have been scheduled.
The video showed Aiyuk driving between 104 and 111 mph. Exhibition of speed carries potential penalties, including fines, license suspension, and jail time, though it is not a felony charge. The Santa Clara Superior Court docketed the case in January as an adult traffic matter, and no attorney of record had entered an appearance as of Wednesday.
Brandon Aiyuk Leaves Behind a $120 Million Contract with Nothing Guaranteed
This legal issue comes on top of a contract situation that has already cost him tens of millions in guaranteed money. He entered this offseason with three years remaining on the $120 million extension, but every dollar of guaranteed money has been voided.
Lynch’s public statement that Aiyuk will not play for the 49ers again effectively confirmed the relationship is finished. The outstanding question is whether any team will trade for him.
The warrant’s arrival was not entirely unexpected. In December 2025 that Santa Clara police were already reviewing the video for traffic violations, citing the Santa Clara PD’s public confirmation that a review was underway following the video’s widespread circulation on social media.
His trade value had already been compressed significantly by the knee injury and contract complications before Wednesday.
Lynch addressed Aiyuk’s trade status directly after the April draft, making it clear San Francisco was not moving on from the asking price despite the absence of offers. “We’re available,” Lynch told reporters. “Give us a call. I think it’s the prudent thing to do.” The arrest warrant adds a new layer of risk for any front office weighing whether to absorb Aiyuk’s remaining salary.
The misdemeanor charge is relatively minor but still carries potential fines, license suspension, and possible jail time. Exhibition of speed is sometimes referred to as street racing, and the offense can carry fines, license suspension, and potential jail time, though prosecutors typically seek fines and probation for first offenses with no prior record.
Aiyuk, 28, entered the league in 2020 as a first-round pick from Arizona State. He has 294 catches for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns across his career. The 49ers remain on the reserve/left squad list waiting for a trade partner. With his guaranteed money voided, a legal warrant active, and the front office publicly moving on, Aiyuk’s path to a fresh start elsewhere grows narrower each day.