In a somewhat surprising move on Saturday, the San Francisco 49ers placed wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list, a rare designation used for players who fail to remain in contact with the team. The move highlights a growing divide between the 49ers and Aiyuk, who had been rehabbing the ACL and MCL injuries he suffered last season.

Earlier in the year, the 49ers were optimistic that Aiyuk could return and contribute at some point during the 2025 NFL season. That optimism is now gone. This designation officially ends any chance of Aiyuk returning this season and strongly suggests an impending split between the player and the organization.


In July, the 49ers voided Aiyuk's guaranteed money for the 2026 season, reportedly due to dissatisfaction with his recovery commitments and lack of engagement with the team during rehabilitation.

RELATED49ers add WR Brandon Aiyuk to reserve/left squad list, likely assuring offseason split
According to 49ers insider Matt Maiocco, the team has been unable to contact Aiyuk for weeks, which ultimately led to the decision to place him on the reserve/left squad list.

"From what I understand, by being placed on the reserve/left squad list, it means that he hasn't shown up for anything, that he has, in fact, as it says, left the squad," Maiocco said in a recent video. "What I understand is, basically, over the last three weeks, they have not seen him, they have not been able to keep tabs on Brandon Aiyuk."

That's a troubling development if you're hoping to monitor a player's recovery progress.

"And so, it's quite clear that he wants this union to end, his time with the 49ers to end," Maiocco continued. "And so, the 49ers place him on that list, and as I said, it makes him ineligible to play for the 49ers this season, and there's simply no going back from that."


The situation is especially notable given the financial commitment San Francisco made to Aiyuk just last year, when it signed him to a four-year, $120 million contract extension. While the organization has not publicly detailed what led to the breakdown in the relationship, there have been reports of buyer's remorse following the deal.

Maiocco added, "And also, from what I've understood, he's incurred a lot of fines from the 49ers over the course of this season with his failure to live up to some of the terms of that contract."

The 49ers–Aiyuk saga now looms as one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the offseason, as the team looks to figure out what to do with its disgruntled wideout. What appears increasingly clear is that Aiyuk's time in the Bay Area has come to an end.

"I think we can all assume the 49ers want no part of Brandon Aiyuk, and Brandon Aiyuk wants no part of the San Francisco 49ers," Maiocco concluded.

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