Brandon Aiyuk
Brandon Aiyuk
Brandon Aiyuk has played his last snap with the San Francisco 49ers, even though he is still technically a member of the organization. Selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Arizona State product was once one of the game’s better young receivers and an efficient leader of San Francisco’s passing attack. A perfect fit for head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, Aiyuk helped San Francisco make the Super Bowl with a dominant 2023, recording 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns while earning Second-Team All-Pro honors.
This impressive season earned him a four-year, $120 million contract, but this proved to be a poor investment. The wide receiver played in just seven games in 2024, recording 25 receptions for 374 yards and no touchdowns on 47 targets before suffering a season-ending injury. He then went off the deep end, abandoning the team in 2025, missing his rehab appointments, and effectively demanding his release. That hasn’t happened as of yet, as the wide receiver is still technically with the 49ers but hasn’t played a snap all year.
However, that could change in the coming days. While Brandon Aiyuk will never suit up for the 49ers again, the wide receiver has reportedly hired agent Drew Rosenhaus to help him return to the field. The 49ers will need to release him, but once they do, someone will likely kick the tires on the veteran.
Brandon Aiyuk
| Source: Lastwordonsports.com - David Latham, Managing Editor
Brandon Aiyuk Hires Agent, Hopes to Continue Career
Nobody denies that Brandon Aiyuk is (or was) a talented wide receiver, but his years-long track record of poor decisions makes him a massive off-field risk. Because of this, he might not make sense for a rebuilding team with a young, impressionable quarterback. Veteran Kirk Cousins is still starting for the Las Vegas Raiders, but the long-term fate of the franchise ultimately rests in the hands of Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. The rookie will see the field at some point, and Las Vegas might not want someone with Aiyuk’s drama influencing the young passer.
Nobody denies the Miami Dolphins have what could easily be the worst roster in football, especially at the wide receiver position. With Tyreek Hill gone and Jaylen Waddle in Denver, first-year head coach Jeff Hafley has watched quarterback Malik Willis try to make it work with Malik Washington, Tutu Atwell, and Jalen Tolbert as the top receiving options. It’s hard to think of a more underwhelming trio than that, but it might not be bad enough to justify a Brandon Aiyuk signing.
At 1-6, Miami’s season is effectively over. This comes as no surprise, as this team took on a record-setting amount of dead money to move on from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and they have fully embraced a rebuild. With this in mind, Brandon Aiyuk is not a player who can positively change a team culture, and he’s not good enough to singlehandedly win games for this team. With no long-term or short-term upside, Miami is probably better off letting him sign elsewhere.
The New York Jets, meanwhile, are all-in on old friend Geno Smith. Smith has been around the block for a while and can likely handle a subpar locker room influence like Brandon Aiyuk. Head coach Aaron Glenn needs his team to show some signs of life in 2026 if he wants to keep his job, so perhaps Aiyuk would be a good fit and provide a legitimate threat for this passing attack.