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

Originally posted by SmokeyJoe:

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
I agree but I also say that once he held out through camp he should not have been extended until he started playing like 2023 BA and that didn't happen even up until the injury

Bad deal

The 49ers initially offered a deal at 26 million a year in May and didn't move off that number until August, after the start of training camp.

There are two sides to view in these negotiations. It's not simply Aiyuk's fault the negotiation dragged on through camp and he has every right to exercise his leverage in an attempt to get his market value.

Not sure if you're playing devils advocate but even if that is true about the 26M held into camp Ayuik had no leverage and ran a circus declining more money from the Patriots and blocking the trade to Pittsburgh last second.

From what we know, seen, and from the consistent reports I don't see how you can make a case for Ayuiks behavior. Granted something is up, this give me Malcom Butler vibes

Originally posted by SmokeyJoe:
The 49ers initially offered a deal at 26 million a year in May and didn't move off that number until August, after the start of training camp.

There are two sides to view in these negotiations. It's not simply Aiyuk's fault the negotiation dragged on through camp and he has every right to exercise his leverage in an attempt to get his market value.

That has nothing to do with what I have proposed. The team had the ultimate leverage as he had another year left on his deal and we had 2 franchise tags in our pocket. Going forward we need not do any deals for holdouts into TC until they can come back and prove they are in playing shape and ready to earn what they are asking to be paid. This is NFL and not NBA, LeBron and the summer of 2010. NFL teams have ALL the leverage essentially with the deals the CBA authored and it is time out for playing childish games. They had already used a 1st on Pearsall and had Aiyuk under contract another year. They should have made him negotiate that summer, traded him or made him play it out until he could prove on the playing field he was a $30M player and there would be nothing he could do about it aside from hold out until week 9 then play on his rookie deal. After that we could franchise tag him and then trade him or extend him

It is bad business trying to reward early a player that has held out throughout the start of TC and we don't even know what we are paying for. This is what have you done for me lately and not thanks for the memories. We have to do better business as an organization

Originally posted by frenchmov:
But you are saying there is a misunderstanding of the facts we do know. There isn't a misunderstanding. The above is what we do know for a fact. Aiyuk was not "with the team" through November, at the facility, with his teammates. Multiple teammates said they haven't heard from him. Let's say for example Aiyuk was somehow, some way at the facility the entire time (unbeknownst to his teammates somehow, but let's just say). He's working out, rehabbing, trying to get on the field every which way he can. And then he suddenly stops showing up, stops responding to his coaches. How does that scenario put him in any better of a light??

You claim that you aren't saying "well we don't know" as the basis of your argument but you are. I'm just using the facts we do know to connect the dots. The most likely explanation.

I don't need to create what-ifs as a blockade to have an opinion on what is currently known.

There is very clearly a misunderstanding of the facts on your end here. I'll repost my reply from earlier, since you are set on repeating yourself:

Originally posted by SmokeyJoe:
As I mentioned, Kyle Shanahan said he was rehabbing with the team as late as November:

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/47065408/niners-shanahan-admits-aiyuk-contract-situation-unusual

He was there in August, as noted by reporters:

https://ninernoise.com/brandon-aiyuk-sure-media-took-note-progress-49ers-practice

As far as being in the locker room and on the sideline, his time with the team was over. He was never on the active roster. I don't think it's surprising for him to refuse to cheerlead for an organization that had effectively severed ties with him in July (regardless of his share of the blame).

*To add to this post, here's an additional quote from Bourne from the same interview you quoted which really isn't in agreement with what you said:

https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/kendrick-bourne-brandon-aiyuk-communication/1903420/?amp=1

"When I first got in the building -- I missed Week 1 -- I saw him a little bit, so I didn't really know what was going on," Bourne said. "I was just pouring into him like, 'Hey, man, how are you doing?' Seeing him in the sauna sometimes, rehabbing. Then all the things happened.''

The quote was from late December, multiple weeks after he had actually stopped participating and was placed on the reserve/left squad list (Dec 13). It doesn't seem to hard to conclude he would have been on that list much earlier if he wasn't participating with, or responding to, the team

I wonder why he wasn't placed on the left-squad list prior to Dec 13th. Real hard to figure that one out, lol.

Originally posted by Since07:
Not sure if you're playing devils advocate but even if that is true about the 26M held into camp Ayuik had no leverage and ran a circus declining more money from the Patriots and blocking the trade to Pittsburgh last second.

From what we know, seen, and from the consistent reports I don't see how you can make a case for Ayuiks behavior. Granted something is up, this give me Malcom Butler vibes

Yea. I just know if I were the chief contract negotiator I would not ANY NFL player go 2010 LeBron James on me. No way!

Originally posted by Since07:
Not sure if you're playing devils advocate but even if that is true about the 26M held into camp Aiyuk had no leverage and ran a circus declining more money from the Patriots and blocking the trade to Pittsburgh last second.

From what we know, seen, and from the consistent reports I don't see how you can make a case for Ayuiks behavior. Granted something is up, this give me Malcom Butler vibes

Lol. Those 'circus' antics you are describing are a product of Aiyuk's leverage.

Originally posted by SmokeyJoe:
Lol. Those 'circus' antics you are describing are a product of Aiyuk's leverage.

I mean he had a 5th year option and you could franchise him the year after to own his rights in a trade. Not that I think we should have done that. Ayuik earned a big contract or at least at that time… None the less all that circus he caused he got what he wanted Patriots offered him more $, Steelers threw their hat in, Browns were in there too. HE ultimately signed a huge extension with US and is still causing a "circus" acting like a clown. What "leverage" is he trying now with these antics? Cause he just threw away all that money and "leverage" he fought for

Originally posted by Since07:
I mean he had a 5th year option and you could franchise him the year after to own his rights in a trade. Not that I think we should have done that. Ayuik earned a big contract or at least at that time… None the less all that circus he caused he got what he wanted Patriots offered him more $, Steelers threw their hat in, Browns were in there too. HE ultimately signed a huge extension with US and is still causing a "circus" acting like a clown. What "leverage" is he trying now with these antics? Cause he just threw away all that money and "leverage" he fought for

He's not trying anything. The relationship with the 49ers is over. It's simply a waiting game until March and then he'll be released and a free agent.

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
That has nothing to do with what I have proposed. The team had the ultimate leverage as he had another year left on his deal and we had 2 franchise tags in our pocket. Going forward we need not do any deals for holdouts into TC until they can come back and prove they are in playing shape and ready to earn what they are asking to be paid. This is NFL and not NBA, LeBron and the summer of 2010. NFL teams have ALL the leverage essentially with the deals the CBA authored and it is time out for playing childish games. They had already used a 1st on Pearsall and had Aiyuk under contract another year. They should have made him negotiate that summer, traded him or made him play it out until he could prove on the playing field he was a $30M player and there would be nothing he could do about it aside from hold out until week 9 then play on his rookie deal. After that we could franchise tag him and then trade him or extend him

It is bad business trying to reward early a player that has held out throughout the start of TC and we don't even know what we are paying for. This is what have you done for me lately and not thanks for the memories. We have to do better business as an organization

Originally posted by Pillbusta:
Yea. I just know if I were the chief contract negotiator I would not ANY NFL player go 2010 LeBron James on me. No way!

LeBron James was a free agent in 2010. Bad example, for a bizarre argument.

In any case I agree with your baseline conclusion that we need to do business differently. Couldn't disagree more with your suggestions for how.

Originally posted by SmokeyJoe:

Originally posted by Since07:
I mean he had a 5th year option and you could franchise him the year after to own his rights in a trade. Not that I think we should have done that. Ayuik earned a big contract or at least at that time… None the less all that circus he caused he got what he wanted Patriots offered him more $, Steelers threw their hat in, Browns were in there too. HE ultimately signed a huge extension with US and is still causing a "circus" acting like a clown. What "leverage" is he trying now with these antics? Cause he just threw away all that money and "leverage" he fought for

He's not trying anything. The relationship with the 49ers is over. It's simply a waiting game until March and then he'll be released and a free agent.

Well you were just saying he caused a circus as leverage. He got what he wanted, we gave him options and is still acting a fool. You actually have to "try" to be this self centered and arrogant to throw that kind of wealth away and bite the hand that you shook in agreement.

Originally posted by Since07:
Well you were just saying he caused a circus as leverage. He got what he wanted, we gave him options and is still acting a fool. You actually have to "try" to be this self centered and arrogant to throw that kind of wealth away and bite the hand that you shook in agreement.

Actually I didn't say that. I said he had leverage in his contract negotiation which happened in the offseason prior to 2024. You described it as 'circus antics'… that's why I put quotes around 'circus' in my post. It was a player forcing the issue to get what he wanted, which he did (a long term deal at/near market value with the 49ers).

https://www.si.com/nfl/takeaways-brandon-aiyuk-49ers-negotiations

Originally posted by SmokeyJoe:
Actually I didn't say that. I said he had leverage in his contract negotiation which happened in the offseason prior to 2024. You described it as circus antics… that's why I put quotes around 'circus' in my post. It was a player forcing the issue to get what he wanted, which he did (a long term deal at/near market value with the 49ers).

https://www.si.com/nfl/takeaways-brandon-aiyuk-49ers-negotiations

Okay Ayuiks antics are not a "circus". He threw a temper tantrum because he didn't have leverage 😂. Again we could have implemented his 5th year option and franchised him the year after to hold his rights. He had no leverage other than acting a fool and continues to do so.

I also noticed how you haven't touched on how we gave him MULTIPLE trade avenues willing to pay more money before HE signed the contract. It never was about the money with him he literally just threw away a 100M. He just wants to choose where he goes and wants princess treatment where you can't scold him or question what shorts he wears

Originally posted by Since07:
Okay Ayuiks antics are not a "circus". He threw a temper tantrum because he didn't have leverage 😂. Again we could have implemented his 5th year option and franchised him the year after to hold his rights. He had no leverage other than acting a fool and continues to do so.

Brother, he did have leverage. You described actions as a result of his leverage in your first response to me. The 'circus' antics… now being described as a 'temper tantrum'.

What he did was refuse an initial 49ers offer that was below his market value, held in when the team didn't budge, and then didn't agree to negotiate long term deals with trading partners he didn't want to play for. He worked in his interest, which is what he's supposed to do.

Originally posted by Since07:
Okay Ayuiks antics are not a "circus". He threw a temper tantrum because he didn't have leverage 😂. Again we could have implemented his 5th year option and franchised him the year after to hold his rights. He had no leverage other than acting a fool and continues to do so.

I also noticed how you haven't touched on how we gave him MULTIPLE trade avenues willing to pay more money before HE signed the contract. It never was about the money with him he literally just threw away a 100M. He just wants to choose where he goes and wants princess treatment where you can't scold him or question what shorts he wears

I touched on your edit in my last reply, but you're generally correct it wasn't just about the money. He wanted to play here, but not at a sizable discount. What a lunatic!

He didn't throw away anything near 100m, lol.

Read the article I posted.

Originally posted by SmokeyJoe:
Brother, he did have leverage. You described actions as a result of his leverage in your first response to me. The 'circus' antics… now being described as a 'temper tantrum'.

What he did was refuse an initial 49ers offer that was below his market value, held in when the team didn't budge, and then didn't agree to negotiate long term deals with trading partners he didn't want to play for. He worked in his interest, which is what he's supposed to do.

The 49ers had his rights locked for 2 more years. I'd say the 49ers acted professionally granting him to seek trade options offering him multiple destinations that included more $. Yet he reportedly blocked the trade we had set for the Steelers. We gave him an ultimatum, he decided to sign and is still acting a fool. Again what is he trying to accomplish now continuing this behavior if this is what you call "leverage"?

Originally posted by Since07:
The 49ers had his rights locked for 2 more years. I'd say the 49ers acted professionally granting him to seek trade options offering him multiple destinations that included more $. Yet he reportedly blocked the trade we had set for the Steelers. We gave him an ultimatum and is still acting a fool. Again what is he trying to accomplish now continuing this behavior if this is what you call "leverage"?

I'm not describing what's happening now as an exercise in leverage. The 49ers-Aiyuk relationship is over.

Yes, in 2024, the 49ers could have forced him to remain on the team via his 5th year option and subsequent franchise tags, as you and Pillbusta have mentioned, but neither of you account for why it isn't in the 49ers interest to go that route. That's why they were open to trading him!

Ultimately Kyle Shanahan wanted him here, forced the deal through, and the front office wasn't on the same page. There was fallout from this:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6182308/2025/03/07/49ers-jed-york-organization-reset/