As the 49ers continue their standoff with Brandon Aiyuk, the organization made a significant decision today. According to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, the team medically cleared their wide receiver, paving the way for Aiyuk to start facing fines.
Aiyuk has been engaged in a hold-in throughout the summer, although the team seemed to accommodate his stance. The player attended training camp on time and was present for team meetings, and since the organization attributed his on-field absences to back and neck soreness. the player was able to avoid daily fines of $40K. Following today’s medical clearance, the 49ers now have a clear path to start fining Aiyuk for “unexcused missed activities.” The organization also has the option to suspend the player for “conduct detrimental to the team,” per Wagoner.
While neither coach Kyle Shanahan nor general manager John Lynch would reveal if they’d slap Aiyuk with those punishments, they did express optimism that the medically clearance would coax the player into practicing. Predictably, that didn’t end up happening on Wednesday, as Wagoner notes that Aiyuk was absent from the portion of practice that was open to reporters.
Shanahan later admitted that he was preparing as if the wideout wouldn’t be available for Week 1. When asked about the regular-season status of Aiyuk and offensive tackle Trent Williams (who also continues to push for a new deal), the head coach said he’s planning for Week 1 with the players he currently has on the practice field.
“I’m optimistic that things will work out with Trent,” Shanahan said (via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com). “I’m not sitting here knowing what day it will be. I mean, we’re getting close to playing a game. So, like, my mind is completely on preparing for a game without those guys. But I feel when two sides want to get a deal done, usually it happens.”
Shanahan also told reporters that Aiyuk’s uncertainty played a role in the team’s decision to carry seven wideouts on their initial 53-man roster (per Wagoner). With Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall, and fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing seemingly safe regardless of Aiyuk’s status, the likes of Chris Conley and Ronnie Bell were the main beneficiaries of this continued saga.
But is he mentally cleared?
What evidence/symptoms would there be to pose the question.
Erstwhile , putting that question on a comment board indicates commenter’s mental/emotional status may be suspect.
Maybe you’re upset about lacking a tilde/ň in your username?
Sheesh, that escalated quickly…
Hmm. Interesting points. I suspect that it may be, as you say, a joke.
Sarcasm. Humor. Relax, dude
And stick your tilde…..
…to the left of your 1 key.
Keep your “tilde” in your sigmoid, but it won’t help your attempts at humpr.
The player
49ers are letting him know the kid gloves are off and it’s time to play hardball. If he does not play now that he’s medically cleared he’ll lose $823,500 / game and $40,000 per practice he doesn’t participate in. That’s an additional $200,000 / week. That’s a lot of money.
My guess is he’ll play by week #2.
Yep…..Trent Williams is feeling it now as well.
Don’t feel sorry for either side
9ers could have had the deal done before the draft, they lowballed him and couldn’t predict the market booming.
Aiyuk team was allowed to seek trade. The Pats apparently offered him $30mill range he says no. He only wants Steelers, they offer what 9ers were around he does not want that. Dude can’t make up his mind, he can enter FA but likely be tagged but he can chance it because are the 9ers going to let Ward walk? I doubt they do but if Ward gives a tough time negotiating they may need to pick and choose the tag.
People may look at this type of thing as no big deal, but this is the kind of autistic m situation that just drags a team down. This is why I am so happy to see my Lions operate the way they do. You never heard a peep out of St. Brown or Goff or even Sewell for that matter piss and moan about their contacts before their extensions. The Niners are partly to blame for their hesitancy in dealing with these issues, but it’s also on Auyuk and Williams too. You signed your deal, nobody forced you those salaries. So go out and honor them. This situation is going to be an anchor for this squad!
This actually happens a lot with players on teams that have success. When you consistently perform well as a player and team players want to be compensated for it. Obviously as a Lions fan you wouldn’t understand that since last year was the first time they had made the playoffs since 2016. Hard to “hold out” when you make the playoffs once a decade on average. The whole “nobody forced you to sign that contract so go honor it” is the most tone deaf take anyone can have. I swear half the people who comment here just started following football last month. The owners can rip up those contracts at any time. If a player underperforms or gets hurt that contract is in the garbage. Why don’t you get mad at Owners not honoring those contracts? Is it because it doesn’t fit your ridiculous narrative? Or do you just have no idea what you are talking about? I am genuinely curious how so many can take such a hypocritical stance.
You obviously just started following NFL in the past month yourself. Teams have to honor every dollar of the guaranteed portion of the contracts. If a player is injured or underperforms and unable to practice or play in the games, they still get paid what’s guaranteed in there contracts. So yes… these players need to honor there signed contract
Oh so they guaranteed portions of players contracts are guaranteed? Wow who would have guessed. It’s a good thing you are here to explain the tough stuff haha How about the guy who signs 5 years 50 million with 18 million in guarantees. Hurts his knee and misses 8 games and underperforms. They get cut and the rest of that contract is in the wind. Where is the “honoring contracts” there? Which obviously anyone with half a brain knows that is what I was talking about. So why aren’t you crying about the owners honoring all of those contracts? You sound like a clown. Who seriously supports owners over players when it comes to contracts? The owners make MUCH more and aren’t the ones putting their bodies and lives on the line. But yet your take is the players who can’t walk or think right by the time they are 40 are wrong for trying to maximize their earnings in the short window they have to earn from rich billionaires who make all kinds of money off their talent. Get a clue.
Aiyuk could have signed a long term contract with high guarantees now, or even earlier if he was willing to offer a discount for the early guarantees.
The players enjoy 50% of the pie in exchange for their services. It’s a pretty fair deal. Players should honour their contracts or be prepared to offer a small but significant discount for early guarantees.
So why shouldn’t the owners honor the contracts? Why can’t anyone give an answer to that when they have this short sighted take? It’s not that hard of a concept. If you are going to get mad at one side you need to at both. Or neither side. Otherwise if you just blame one side while ignoring the other you are a hypocrite plain and simple.
Nope, the owners do honour the guaranteed contracts. Guaranteed contracts are available, at a slight discount. Player’s choice.
Ok so Aiyuk is on his rookie deal. He’s had back to back great seasons. He was rated as I believe the 7th best WR in the league last year. If he blows out his knee and is never the same player he won’t get those same guarantees. In a very dangerous game where one play your career could be over. Why would they not want to earn as much as they can while they can. Contracts are set up as such for players and owners for this kind of reshuffling. Teams do it with the cap literally every year with restructures. But then it’s ok but if a player wants market value they are bad and greedy. Do you ever hear owners complain about this set up? I don’t want to say never but certainly Rarely because they know they will take take the bitter with the sweet because they want the ability to cast players and contracts aside the moment they aren’t good value to them. But the players do it and it’s totally wrong. You honestly don’t see how hypocritical that stance makes you? You want to side with owners and say the players are in the wrong. Let me guess you are middle class white guy from the Midwest who played junior varsity football at your highest level and are jealous of people who had actual talent? So you side with the billionaires because for some delusional reason you think you can relate to them more than the players. Am I close at least?
I think the issue here is, aside from agreed upon incentives, every penny of a contract should be guaranteed. Why do players need to negotiate a contract, while also negotiating how much of that contract is guaranteed? The system is heavily, heavily tilted in favor of the teams.
I never have an issue with a player wanting to renegotiate his deal, or holding out; because players often only have 1 chance to get this elusive guaranteed money. Now if they change the system in a way that every penny of every deal is fully guaranteed, I’ll change my stance.
I know many comments here read along the lines of “just play”, which is really easy to say when you’re not in the player’s cleats. For instance, with Aiyuk, what happens if he goes out and tears an ACL? The 49ers surely aren’t going to pay him as much because he ripped up his knee trying to help them win. What if Purdy missed games, causing Aiyuk’s numbers to dip? The franchise will absolutely use that against him in negotiations. That’s why you have to try for your money when you can.
@Appalachian 100% spot on!
This season he’d never start a game; he’d be a punt returner.
Later for helping him showcase his talent as a WR; nope.
Return Kicks B*tch then don’t let the doorknob hit you on your way out after the season
Yes, a team trying to win a Super Bowl should refuse to use their number one receiver as a receiver. That’s a great idea.
I’m assuming at this point he was waiting for Lamb and Chase to get paid. Now that Chase returned to practice and Lamb got paid $34 a year, I’m guessing he now wants more then the 30 million he was looking for.
He should have stole the money from NE. He’s not a #1 and doesn’t deserve a penny more than Eagles Devonte Smith.