Brandon Aiyuk is a Quitter! Pick #25, 2020 NFL Draft

With an injury like Aiyjuk had I'm totally cool with the 49ers approach here. That knee injury is the type of thing that, if he's pushed back too early, could reaggravate and make things even worse. Heal up.

Ugh, this doesn't bode well for BA's career.

That's a really good question — a complete ACL + MCL + PCL tear (a "multi-ligament knee injury" or MLKI) is extremely rare and often career-threatening, even at the NFL level. Only a small number of players have returned to meaningful action after it. Here's a list of NFL players who tore all three major knee ligaments (ACL, MCL, and PCL) and successfully came back to play:

🏈 Notable NFL Comebacks from Triple-Ligament Tears (ACL + MCL + PCL)
1. Carson Palmer (QB, Cincinnati Bengals) Injury: 2006 Wild Card Playoff vs Steelers

Details: Tore ACL, MCL, and partially tore PCL along with meniscus damage after being hit low by Kimo von Oelhoffen.

Recovery: ~8 months

Return: Week 1 of the 2006 season (September).

Outcome: Returned to Pro Bowl form, threw for 4,035 yards and 28 TDs that year.
✅ Full recovery — one of the most successful comebacks from a triple-ligament tear.

2. Willis McGahee (RB, Miami Hurricanes → Buffalo Bills) Injury: 2003 Fiesta Bowl (college game, right before NFL Draft)

Details: Tore ACL, MCL, and PCL — complete knee dislocation.

Recovery: Missed entire rookie NFL season (2003).

Return: Debuted in 2004, ran for 1,128 yards and 13 TDs.

Outcome: Played 10 NFL seasons.
✅ Considered one of the most remarkable knee recoveries ever.

3. Zach Miller (TE, Chicago Bears) Injury: 2017 vs New Orleans Saints

Details: Dislocated knee, tearing ACL, MCL, PCL, and damaging arteries — emergency surgery saved his leg.

Recovery: Never played again in the NFL, but technically made a medical recovery and regained walking function.
❌ Did not return to play, but notable for survival and partial recovery.

4. Napoleon McCallum (RB, Raiders) Injury: 1994, career-ending. Tore ACL, MCL, PCL, and artery damage.
❌ Did not return to football, but medically significant case.

5. Marcus Lattimore (RB, South Carolina / 49ers) Injury: 2012 (college) — tore ACL, MCL, PCL, and dislocated knee.

Recovery: Drafted by 49ers but never played an NFL snap.
❌ Career-ending, though he recovered to full function personally.

I'm sure we all hope Aiyuk can come back and play well but we can't expect too much. Knee injuries like he suffered are almost sure to reduce his speed and mobility to some degree. He's never been a burner. His 4.5 40 speed is about average for the NFL. He's relied more on precise route running to get open and if he can't cut as well then he has a problem. He's not big enough to just outmuscle defenders.

I don't think we'll know until next season. Just not enough time left for him to get back in game condition and make an impact this year.

Crap…this doesn't smell promising to see him out there this season and potentially ever again.

Hope to be wrong cuz I think he's a really good player and we need him to open up our offense.

Well this is depressing lol

Another era gone, it will never be the same.

Imagine him, Pearsall, Kittle and CMC..Oh wait their never on the field together

Originally posted by Patton:

Another era gone, it will never be the same.

What a crazy play that was, I was so excited. BA was definitely a fave of Brock's, now neither are playing rn:/ Football has so many ups and downs, almost too many lol

Can't wait to see BA back on the field

That was a high lo combo tackle by KC in our stadium nonetheless and at the time I felt that it was totally unnecessary but it is what it is

Originally posted by Heroism:
Ugh, this doesn't bode well for BA's career.

That's a really good question — a complete ACL + MCL + PCL tear (a "multi-ligament knee injury" or MLKI) is extremely rare and often career-threatening, even at the NFL level. Only a small number of players have returned to meaningful action after it. Here's a list of NFL players who tore all three major knee ligaments (ACL, MCL, and PCL) and successfully came back to play:

🏈 Notable NFL Comebacks from Triple-Ligament Tears (ACL + MCL + PCL)
1. Carson Palmer (QB, Cincinnati Bengals) Injury: 2006 Wild Card Playoff vs Steelers

Details: Tore ACL, MCL, and partially tore PCL along with meniscus damage after being hit low by Kimo von Oelhoffen.

Recovery: ~8 months

Return: Week 1 of the 2006 season (September).

Outcome: Returned to Pro Bowl form, threw for 4,035 yards and 28 TDs that year.
✅ Full recovery — one of the most successful comebacks from a triple-ligament tear.

2. Willis McGahee (RB, Miami Hurricanes → Buffalo Bills) Injury: 2003 Fiesta Bowl (college game, right before NFL Draft)

Details: Tore ACL, MCL, and PCL — complete knee dislocation.

Recovery: Missed entire rookie NFL season (2003).

Return: Debuted in 2004, ran for 1,128 yards and 13 TDs.

Outcome: Played 10 NFL seasons.
✅ Considered one of the most remarkable knee recoveries ever.

3. Zach Miller (TE, Chicago Bears) Injury: 2017 vs New Orleans Saints

Details: Dislocated knee, tearing ACL, MCL, PCL, and damaging arteries — emergency surgery saved his leg.

Recovery: Never played again in the NFL, but technically made a medical recovery and regained walking function.
❌ Did not return to play, but notable for survival and partial recovery.

4. Napoleon McCallum (RB, Raiders) Injury: 1994, career-ending. Tore ACL, MCL, PCL, and artery damage.
❌ Did not return to football, but medically significant case.

5. Marcus Lattimore (RB, South Carolina / 49ers) Injury: 2012 (college) — tore ACL, MCL, PCL, and dislocated knee.

Recovery: Drafted by 49ers but never played an NFL snap.
❌ Career-ending, though he recovered to full function personally.

Damn man, that's a depressing post……………

Originally posted by Heroism:
Ugh, this doesn't bode well for BA's career.

That's a really good question — a complete ACL + MCL + PCL tear (a "multi-ligament knee injury" or MLKI) is extremely rare and often career-threatening, even at the NFL level. Only a small number of players have returned to meaningful action after it. Here's a list of NFL players who tore all three major knee ligaments (ACL, MCL, and PCL) and successfully came back to play:

🏈 Notable NFL Comebacks from Triple-Ligament Tears (ACL + MCL + PCL)
1. Carson Palmer (QB, Cincinnati Bengals) Injury: 2006 Wild Card Playoff vs Steelers

Details: Tore ACL, MCL, and partially tore PCL along with meniscus damage after being hit low by Kimo von Oelhoffen.

Recovery: ~8 months

Return: Week 1 of the 2006 season (September).

Outcome: Returned to Pro Bowl form, threw for 4,035 yards and 28 TDs that year.
✅ Full recovery — one of the most successful comebacks from a triple-ligament tear.

2. Willis McGahee (RB, Miami Hurricanes → Buffalo Bills) Injury: 2003 Fiesta Bowl (college game, right before NFL Draft)

Details: Tore ACL, MCL, and PCL — complete knee dislocation.

Recovery: Missed entire rookie NFL season (2003).

Return: Debuted in 2004, ran for 1,128 yards and 13 TDs.

Outcome: Played 10 NFL seasons.
✅ Considered one of the most remarkable knee recoveries ever.

3. Zach Miller (TE, Chicago Bears) Injury: 2017 vs New Orleans Saints

Details: Dislocated knee, tearing ACL, MCL, PCL, and damaging arteries — emergency surgery saved his leg.

Recovery: Never played again in the NFL, but technically made a medical recovery and regained walking function.
❌ Did not return to play, but notable for survival and partial recovery.

4. Napoleon McCallum (RB, Raiders) Injury: 1994, career-ending. Tore ACL, MCL, PCL, and artery damage.
❌ Did not return to football, but medically significant case.

5. Marcus Lattimore (RB, South Carolina / 49ers) Injury: 2012 (college) — tore ACL, MCL, PCL, and dislocated knee.

Recovery: Drafted by 49ers but never played an NFL snap.
❌ Career-ending, though he recovered to full function personally.

There's no great comps for recovery. McGhee, Lattimore, and McCullum were even worse looking than Aiyuks. All were caused by impact in the opposite direction from a defenders helmet or shoulder at high speed, unlike non contact ACL tears, or even Bosas.

The NFL should have a cap exemption if a player has a career ending type of injury they don't count against the salary cap. Similar to a car in a bad accident if they are 'totaled' you can move in from it. Similar to a vehicle the player can be salvaged title and shouldn't count against caps because in reality their careers are f**ked. This way after they recover at least a team can try to sign them without penalty.

Originally posted by mitpdub:
There's no great comps for recovery. McGhee, Lattimore, and McCullum were even worse looking than Aiyuks. All were caused by impact in the opposite direction from a defenders helmet or shoulder at high speed, unlike non contact ACL tears, or even Bosas.

The NFL should have a cap exemption if a player has a career ending type of injury they don't count against the salary cap. Similar to a car in a bad accident if they are 'totaled' you can move in from it. Similar to a vehicle the player can be salvaged title and shouldn't count against caps because in reality their careers are f**ked. This way after they recover at least a team can try to sign them without penalty.

In a way they do. The niners are one of the top teams insuring contracts, and we indeed get cap $$ back

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41274295/nfl-insurance-policies-star-players-aaron-rodgers-tua-tagovailoa-jared-goff-joe-burrow-christian-mccaffrey

This is what I expect to happen now.

How many more years left on his new contract till he becomes a free agent?