Brandon Aiyuk caught four passes for 43 yards in the San Francisco 49ers' Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. While it may not have been the standout performance fans expected from one of the NFL's highest-paid wide receivers, it was a notable improvement over his two-catch, 28-yard outing in Week 1.
After an impressive 1,342-yard performance last season, Aiyuk has had a slow start to this season following a contract standoff. However, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan believes the receiver performed well in Sunday's 23-17 loss and explained why during a Thursday interview with Bay Area radio station KNBR.
"I know he got a lot of attention for having that drop [the end zone] in the first game versus the Jets, but that was just a drop," Shanahan said. "I know if he did that and hadn't gone through all the contract stuff, that probably everyone would have just said it was just a drop. So, I think people look into that stuff a little too much.
"But I thought Aiyuk had a hell of a game last week. He had a number of times where he was open, did his job, but it just takes 11 guys on a play to kind of make that all work out. And that's kind of the frustrating thing about being a wideout. But the way he ran his routes, the way he blocked, he had a hell of a game."
Aiyuk will be relied upon more heavily in the coming weeks, with wide receiver Deebo Samuel sidelined due to a calf strain. Fans hope he is up to the challenge.
Shanahan emphasized how perception in sports can be tough. Now that Aiyuk has secured one of the largest contracts for a wide receiver, the expectations are sky-high. Many expect him to immediately perform like one of the best in the league despite the prolonged offseason stalemate.
"That's what's tough in sports, just with all the coverage and everything," Shanahan continued, "and how much money these guys do make, that when you do get all that attention and you sign a deal like that, everyone's going to want to expect more and more and more. And the way people usually judge that is by stats, and stats doesn't always tell the story.
"I'm just hoping Aiyuk can have an All-Pro season like he did last year, and he did that by just working in every single game. Sometimes the ball came to him more than others, but whenever it did, he was always ready, and that's what led to such a good season."
You can listen to Shanahan's entire interview below.