Rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk surpassed 100 yards for the first time in his young NFL career, doing so on Sunday during the San Francisco 49ers' 33-6 victory over the New England Patriots. Aiyuk recorded six catches on seven targets for 115 yards, bringing his first-year total up to 20 receptions for 280 yards with a touchdown.
The receiver has also been showing off his versatility. He has four carries for 69 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground this season.
All of that has left Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice mightily impressed with the 49ers' young star.
"He's starting to come into his own," Rice said Monday of Aiyuk on 95.7 The Game's The Morning Roast. "… I think it's just all phases. He can run by you, he can run good routes, he can out jump you. So, when you've got a player like that, you've just got to continue to give him opportunities, which Kyle Shanahan is doing that."
It wasn't just Aiyuk who left Rice in awe. He was impressed with the entire 49ers offense during its dominating performance against the Patriots.
"To see this offense work on all cylinders, throwing the ball, also running the ball, and just the execution, I think Kyle Shanahan did a fantastic job," he commented.
Rice did add that the 49ers' success will continue to be dependent on Jimmy Garoppolo's play. The team will only go as far as the quarterback takes it.
"Everything centers around Jimmy G," Rice added. "If Jimmy G goes, I think this 49ers (team), they're going to continue to go. They're only going to get better. We're 4-3 right now. We're in an ideal position.
"We're not in the position that we wanted to be in, but just to see this team fight, and it's very motivating to see this happen the way it's happening right now.
"And for Bill Belichick to be confused like that — and also I was looking at Cam Newton — he had this look on his face like, 'Is this Niner team a bad team? They don't look like a bad team.'
"I felt like we played really well. We executed the way we wanted to, and now we just got to keep building off this momentum. That's the most important thing. We've got Seattle coming up. The main focus should be Seattle, and that's it."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Rice below.