The San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk are reportedly far apart in their negotiations for a contract extension. Both sides would love to reach a long-term deal, but it is proving more difficult than team decision-makers initially thought.
Tight end George Kittle went through his own contract negotiations in 2020, signing a five-year, $75 million deal during training camp. Naturally, during an appearance on the "Dan Patrick Show," Kittle was asked if he has had any discussions with Aiyuk during this process and if any advice has been extended.
"In all honesty, this is how I have treated all my teammates that go through contract negotiations. I shoot him a text," Kittle responded. "I'm like, 'Hey, man, if there's anything you want to talk about, anything I can help you with, please hit me up. If not, I'll see you when I see you, which we're going to figure it out at some point.'"
Kittle prefers to avoid getting too involved unless his teammates seek advice.
"The less I know, the better," he continued. "I don't like it when people ask me, 'Hey, have you talked to Aiyuk? Have you talked to Aiyuk?' I'm like, 'He's doing his thing. He's going to be just fine. And whatever happens there, I'm happy for him.'"
Aiyuk was a no-show for the 49ers' mandatory minicamp last week, which closed out their offseason program. The team is on a break until training camp begins in late July. Until then, there probably won't be much progress on the Aiyuk front, allowing the rampant speculation to persist.
Aiyuk is scheduled to earn $14.124 million on a team-exercised fifth-year option during the upcoming season. That is well below his market value, so the receiver is unlikely to desire stepping onto a football field again before putting pen to paper and securing his financial future.