Head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that the San Francisco 49ers could—with emphasis on could—open the practice window for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk as early as next week. However, nothing is guaranteed at this point.
"Yeah, I believe he's getting a lot closer," Shanahan said. "It could [happen next week]. I think we're week-to-week now, so hopefully, it will be sooner than later."
Aiyuk began the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he continues to recover from the ACL and MCL injuries he suffered in October 2024. This marks the first significant update regarding the star receiver's recovery in quite some time.
General manager John Lynch also discussed Aiyuk's progress during a radio interview this week and was optimistic about the player's return.
When asked whether there's still hope the wideout could return this season, Lynch responded, "Oh, yeah, there's hope he plays. More importantly than hope, there's some evidence. He's making really good progress. He's been putting in the time, and I think that it's coming nearer as to when he's going to be out there."
It's starting to sound increasingly likely that Aiyuk could return to the field before the end of the season. Once his practice window is opened, the 49ers will have 21 days to activate him from the PUP list. The receiver may return to help the offense down the stretch as the team looks to make a strong playoff push.