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came to play, yet again, during Sunday's early-morning 31-10 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars, catching all seven of his targets for 85 yards and a touchdown, leading the 49ers in all three categories.
Aiyuk, who's been a major factor in the passing game over the last four weeks in a complementary role to star
Deebo Samuel, has shown signs of his rookie self, and was a crucial player in the passing game for Jimmy Garoppolo, who seemed to trust his 23-year old receiver in key throwing situations.
Samuel, who was utilized mainly as a rusher Sunday, only had one catch for 15 yards as opposed to eight carries for 79 yards and a touchdown.
After the game, Kyle Shanahan had nothing but praise for his prized sophomore receiver, explaining how the coaching staff knew what Aiyuk had in the tank, which was why they rode him as hard as they did.
"I think it says more about him as a person than anything because we all know B.A. is a talented dude," Shanahan said. "But it takes a lot of stuff to be able to play in this league week in and week out. He started out behind this year. And I know I rode him hard, and his [receivers] coach did, and a lot of us did.
Despite the standard that Shanahan set, the head coach was impressed at how Aiyuk responded to the pressure placed upon him.
"And I just thought it was impressive how, being younger, being new to this league, when things aren't going your right way, and people are putting pressure on you, not just outside, but inside, a lot of guys tend to point the finger and feel sorry for themselves, which is what worries you. And you've got to wait until the offseason, almost, to bring them back."
Rather than succumbing to the pressure, Shanahan described how Aiyuk solely focused on improving his craft, both on game days and in practice, and how the receiver continued putting in the work when the gameplan didn't go in his favor.
"He wasn't like that. He kept working, kept trying to get better, and I knew everyone's seen it these last couple of weeks, but you could see it happening in practice too. He didn't always get the results and the targets and stuff, but we don't really plan that. I thought Deebo [Samuel] would get more targets today. It just comes out the way it does."
As the 49ers head towards the last stretch of the season, Shanahan noted how with Aiyuk, Samuel, and tight end
George Kittle, the 49ers finally had their three top options fully healthy for a period of time, which has heavily contributed to their success over the last two weeks.
And when you've got Aiyuk out there playing like a true starting player, Deebo, [George] Kittle, I think it's the first time we've had those three, three weeks in a row, I don't know if this is right, but it seems like in two years, almost. I don't know if they've ever been out [there together] that many times week after week, so it's been good. And when they're like that, they're out there more consistently, I think we just get better as a whole with the quarterback. Everyone can be more consistent."
With Garoppolo having arguably the best stretch of his career, the 49ers will ride their momentum back to Levi's Stadium in a crucial game with major playoff implications against the Minnesota Vikings, as the two teams are currently tied in the playoff standings.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy achieved a remarkable feat in 2023, setting a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards. This accomplishment is noteworthy, considering the illustrious quarterbacks who have graced the organization's history.
A significant portion of those yards came from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who amassed a career-high and team-leading 1,342 receiving yards. Most of his 75 catches originated from passes thrown by Purdy.
Amidst significant offseason chatter surrounding the 49ers' star receiver, including several unsubstantiated trade rumors, Aiyuk's future remains uncertain. Former NFL player James Jones, now an analyst, expressed concern for Purdy should Aiyuk's tenure in the Bay Area come to an end.
"I
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
According to Sports Illustrated contributor Noah Strackbein, who writes for "All Steelers" on the network, there's a level of confidence within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization that they can strike a deal for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk—and at a bargain rate.
"According to a team source, the Steelers and 49ers trade talks are real," Strackbein wrote. "While nothing is imminent, they 'would be surprised if it didn't happen.' But it all comes down to compensation, and Pittsburgh isn't willing to budge much on price."
While it seems unlikely that the 49ers would part ways with Aiyuk for anything less than a first-round draft
