Brandon Aiyuk must really need that new contract. The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver took on an offseason job as an Applebee's employee while awaiting news about his NFL future.
Well, not exactly. It was actually part of the series "Undercover Athlete" from Whistle, promoting the new "Whole Lotta Bacon Burger." Still, it was amusing to see Aiyuk serving customers who couldn't quite place his familiar face at first glance.
You can watch the video below. H/t Andy Lindquist of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Some customers eventually recognized Aiyuk, who went by the name "Gerald" for the stunt, as the star 49ers player.
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Financially, Aiyuk likely isn't in dire straits. San Francisco is actively working to sign him to a long-term contract extension. As he enters his fifth NFL season, he's set to earn $14.124 million on a fifth-year option exercised by the team. However, he will unlikely retake the field without a new deal in place.
Despite swirling trade rumors, a 49ers insider recently expressed confidence that the team and Aiyuk will reach a long-term agreement.
"I would be really surprised if the 49ers don't try to make this thing work with Brandon Aiyuk, that they don't ultimately arrive at a long-term solution for him," Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area recently stated. "But it's going to take a little bit of time."
This shouldn't be unexpected. In recent years, key contract extensions for the 49ers have often materialized closer to the start of training camp. Last year, defensive end Nick Bosa didn't ink his new deal until days before the regular season kicked off.