The Athletic's Dianna Russini and Michael Silver report that the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk may be nearing an inevitable split. The veteran receiver has been working to return from the ACL and MCL injuries he suffered last season, but has yet to make it back onto the practice field. His prolonged absence has sparked doubts about whether he'll contribute at all this year, and he remains on the physically unable to perform list.

Aiyuk and the 49ers agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension last year following a lengthy "hold-in" by the receiver.


"It's now likely that he has played his last game with the franchise, according to numerous sources briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation," the reporters wrote. "Some in the organization are holding out hope that the relationship can be salvaged enough for him to return this season. However, multiple sources believe that a reconciliation is unlikely."

According to The Athletic, Aiyuk has recently skipped meetings and declined to participate in team activities, creating understandable frustration within the building.

"The 49ers, sources say, responded by voiding the guaranteed money in Aiyuk's contract for 2026, asserting that the absences amounted to a failure to fulfill his contractual obligations," the report continued. "Aiyuk, according to multiple league sources, told NFL Players Association representatives that he did not want to fight the move via an official grievance. That would clear the way for his expected release at season's end."

Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the 49ers actually voided the guaranteed money months ago, but acknowledges that it appears the two sides won't reconcile.

By voiding the guarantees, the 49ers can recover a significant portion of his contract if the two sides part ways. According to Spotrac, the voided guaranteed money for 2026 totaled $26.15 million, but $29.5 million would remain in dead cap.


Several individuals, including teammates, have reportedly reached out in an effort to bring Aiyuk back into the fold. Still, the receiver has preferred to train early in the morning and leave before others arrive.

In March, Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard reported that the 49ers were unhappy with how last year's contract negotiations with Aiyuk unfolded and that there was some buyer's remorse after everything was said and done.

"There's absolutely tension that still lingers over that negotiation last summer, into the fall," Kawakami said. "And they did not like the price that they paid for him."

Aiyuk's actions during his contract negotiations were a significant source of frustration for the 49ers, who were willing to trade the receiver, as he requested, before the two sides—after a lot of drama—eventually reached some common ground.

"The receiver's relationship with the franchise became more strained as the hold-in dragged on," the article from The Athletic states. "Shanahan, according to sources, took issue with Aiyuk's distracting presence. The coach and other powerbrokers in the organization were also frustrated by Aiyuk changing his mind on contract terms he sought and what potential trade destinations were acceptable to him."


The 49ers have yet to offer a clear timeline for Aiyuk's return, and this latest report casts even more doubt on whether it will happen at all. His time in the Bay Area may now be over.

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