Brandon Aiyuk’s time with the San Francisco 49ers appears at its end.
General manager John Lynch said Wednesday that the 27-year-old wide receiver is unlikely to play for the team again.
John Lynch on Brandon Aiyuk: “I think it’s safe to say he’s played his last snap with the 49ers.”
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) January 21, 2026
“I think it’s safe to say he’s played his last snap with the 49ers,” Lynch said of Aiyuk.
Aiyuk did not play for the team this past season, recovering from a severe knee injury incurred in the fall of 2024. He hauled in 25 passes for 374 yards prior to his injury.
A native of Reno, NV, Aiyuk has been unsettled with the team for some time. He had previously requested a trade in the summer of 2024. Because of the injury, the team voided his 2026 guarantees this past November. In December, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that Aiyuk had become “extremely distant [from the team] since he got hurt.”
Kyle Shanahan said the Brandon Aiyuk estrangement began after he suffered his ACL injury in Week 7. He said Aiyuk has been “extremely distant since he got hurt.”
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) December 18, 2025
Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million deal with the team ahead of the 2024 season. Should he be released, the Niners would incur a dead-cap hit of $29.6 million. If Aiyuk were designated as a post-June 1 release, that money could spread over two seasons. The same hit applies for a trade. While a release can be designated as post-June 1 at any time, should the team wish to spread the hit over two seasons, any trade could not be made prior to June 1.
Originally taken with the 25th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Arizona State, Aiyuk has appeared in 69 games over five seasons with the Niners. He’s recorded 294 receptions for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns.
