Brandon Aiyuk isn’t ready to give up on football.
The former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver was once one of the NFL’s most exciting young players. He had just signed a $120 million contract, was coming off an All-Pro season, and looked like he would be a major part of San Francisco’s offense for years.
Then everything fell apart.
A devastating knee injury, a bitter contract dispute and a deteriorating relationship with the 49ers have kept Aiyuk off the football field since October 2024.
Now, more than two years after his last NFL appearance, Aiyuk has made a move that suggests he’s serious about getting his career back on track.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Aiyuk has hired veteran NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus to represent him as he works toward returning to the league.
It’s the first significant step in what could be a complicated comeback.
NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers
Oct 20, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) walks on the field before the start of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
49ers Brandon Aiyuk Hires Drew Rosenhaus in Attempt to Return to NFL
Aiyuk’s decision to hire Rosenhaus was reported Monday, November 2.
Rosenhaus, who has represented numerous high-profile NFL players throughout his career, confirmed that his goal is to help Aiyuk get back on the field.
“Working on getting him back to work and playing again in the NFL,” Rosenhaus told Schefter.
That’s a pretty remarkable statement considering where Aiyuk was just a couple of years ago.
He wasn’t looking for a job. He was one of the highest-paid wide receivers in football.
In August 2024, the 49ers rewarded him with a four-year, $120 million contract extension after months of negotiations.
It was supposed to be the beginning of a long future in San Francisco.
Instead, Aiyuk played just seven games under that agreement before suffering a serious knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs on October 20, 2024.
He tore his ACL and MCL and suffered meniscus damage.
He hasn’t played in an NFL game since.
What Went Wrong Between Aiyuk and the 49ers?
Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
The injury itself was bad enough, but what happened afterward made things considerably worse.
As Aiyuk recovered, disagreements reportedly developed between the receiver and the 49ers over his participation in rehabilitation appointments, meetings and other team obligations.
The situation eventually became a financial dispute.
According to the Associated Press, San Francisco voided approximately $27 million in guaranteed money from Aiyuk’s contract, citing his failure to fulfill certain obligations.
Aiyuk was subsequently placed on the reserve/left squad list in December 2025.
He also began publicly criticizing the organization, including head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
By that point, it was difficult to imagine him returning to the 49ers.
Lynch eventually acknowledged that Aiyuk’s time with San Francisco was effectively over.
And when Shanahan was asked in September whether the receiver could return to help the team’s injury-depleted offense, he gave a one-word answer.
“No.”
That’s a stunning turn of events for a player the organization had committed $120 million to just two years earlier.
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