San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Thursday morning and confirmed what many had already assumed—wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is unlikely to be cleared in time for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season.
Aiyuk is still recovering from ACL and MCL injuries sustained in October 2024. He opened training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and has long been expected to remain on PUP to start the regular season.
While Lynch acknowledged that Aiyuk probably won't be ready for the season opener, he hasn't slammed the door on the possibility.
"There's just steps you have to continue to hit, and I'll continue to say that Brandon is doing well in his rehab," Lynch said. "Do we have an exact date right now? No. I don't think it will be Week 1, but hopefully, I'm surprised. We'll see.
"Continuing to try to watch him work his way through this rehab. But again, we want him fully healthy. He had a significant injury, and so, you have to do a significant rehab, and he's doing a really good job of that, and we've got to continue to do so."
When asked if there is any timeline yet for his return, Lynch responded, "No calendar on it, no."
If the 49ers place Aiyuk on the reserve/PUP list to begin the season, he'll be required to miss at least the first four games. With San Francisco playing on a short week in Week 5—hosting the Los Angeles Rams on a Thursday night—the most realistic return could be Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ultimately, Aiyuk's return timeline will depend on how smoothly he continues to progress through his recovery milestones.