It took a while for 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to find his sea legs in the 2024 NFL season, and just as it appears that he found his groove, Aiyuk’s season may be coming to an end. Aiyuk left today’s loss to the Chiefs shortly before the end of the first half and was unable to return. ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry was the first to relay head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s concern that Aiyuk’s injury was a torn ACL. 
Aiyuk’s name was a common one in NFL news circles this offseason as he held out for a new contract in San Francisco, at one point even requesting a trade. The 49ers eventually got him signed to an extended contract at the end of August, but missing the ramp up into the regular season seemingly proved significant on the veteran receiver’s production early this year.
In the first four weeks of the season, Aiyuk failed to eclipse five receptions or 48 receiving yards, despite being targeted 10 times in Week 3, and had not caught a touchdown. The 26-year-old had a breakout performance in a Week 5 loss to the Cardinals, catching 8 passes for 147 yards, and though he still didn’t have a touchdown, it appeared that Aiyuk was on his way back to his usual self. Last week saw a bit of regression, but hopes were still high that Aiyuk was on the come up.
Today’s game was looking like another lackluster performance in the making. On six targets, Aiyuk only had two catches for 23 yards. On his second catch of the day, Aiyuk was led over the middle by quarterback Brock Purdy, where defensive back Chamarri Conner met him with a low tackle right at the knees. Aiyuk was carted off the field with what immediately looked like a serious knee injury. Shanahan’s fears echoed what many assumed from watching the play.
Aiyuk’s absence exacerbated an already bad situation in the receiving corps. The 49ers knew heading into today that Jauan Jennings was out with a hip injury and Deebo Samuel exited the game after only a few plays with an illness. Samuel reportedly woke up feeling ill and attempted to play through his sickness but very quickly determined that he would be unable to contribute. This left San Francisco without their top three receiving options for the rest of the day.
Luckily, the team saw the NFL debut of first-round Florida receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was activated off the NFI list on Friday. Purdy was throwing to Pearsall, fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing, Ronnie Bell, and Chris Conley. The four were targeted for a combined 12 of Purdy’s 31 pass attempts, reeling in a combined six balls for 81 yards. Even with Samuel expected back after recovering from illness, if Aiyuk is out for an extended period, the four who played today are going to need to take some big steps up to support the offense.
For Aiyuk, that holdout seems perfectly justified now. If Aiyuk hadn’t fought for the contract like he had, he would still be on a contract year and headed towards free agency after suffering a serious, potentially season-ending knee injury. Tomorrow’s tests will determine just how long Aiyuk may be out. If it is indeed a torn ACL, his four-year, $120MM contract with $76MM guaranteed may provide a bit of solace in an otherwise devastating situation.
Speedy recovery for aiyuk
But man that contract just keeps getting worse and worse.
Hey, they also gave CMC a raise and a bunch of new guarantees when he was already under contract as easily the highest paid back in the league.
Hey.
CMC got a 2 year deal averaging 16 mill annual salary
Aiyuk got a 4 year deal averaging 30 mill annual salary.
Aiyuk also carries super huge dead cap hits of 42 mill and 45 mill last 2 years. CMC carries 1 bad cap year at 25 mill.
One of these things is not like the other
CMC is also older, has a more significant injury history, and plays a position that falls off quicker and gets paid less. He also wasn’t entering his walk year.
Aiyuk was paid as a top 3,4,5 receiver despite not being a top 3,4,5 receiver in the league.
Aiyuks contract is much more problematic than McCaffreys
They had to give Aiyuk the contract or lose him. They did not have to pay CMC.
No they didn’t.
49ers exercised their 5th year option for him for the 2024 season and could have used the franchise tag on him for 2025
They had potentially 2 full years of control over him. They could have worked out a trade this offseason or next.
So the “they had to or lose him for nothing” is false.
He would have held out and forced a contract or trade. I know this, because that’s exactly what he did.
That’s cool.
He was still under contract for 2024 and would have received a franchise tag in 2025
Sitting out means he would have cost himself money and hurt his free agent stock which would be 2 years away. He doesn’t play franchise costs the 49ers nothing. When they fine him it also reduces the cost of the franchise tag.
But hey “you know” lmao. Great source very reputable.
The Niners wouldn’t have just sat on him as an asset tolling away. My source is a combination of common sense and watching what actually happened.
They’d control his rights for 2 years and trade him whenever the right offer came up. Chiefs lost rice they’d probably pay for aiyuk who would have been making 14.5 mill this year knowing they’d be able to apply the franchise tag too.
He sits out he doesn’t get paid. So it’s not like they’d be losing anything. In fact they’d fine him and get money back.
So no they didn’t have to give him the contract. If you remember there was interest but aiyuk refused to sign a contract with Cleveland. There were offers so not like 49ers couldn’t find one if an injury came up.
Well the actual 49ers clearly disagreed
That’s cool. They made the wrong decision to extend him and it’s proving so far to be the wrong decision, esp since they drafted his replacement and signed Jennings.
As he’s on his rookie contract, the fines could have been and would have been revoked and not collected.
Huh?
The cba allows teams to collect 40,000 each day a player on rookie contract holds out or refuses to participate unless injured or given team permission to not participate
There’s also 1/18 salary for each pre season game missed for players playing under fifth year option.
Teams can waive those but they aren’t required to do so and i don’t see why they’d waive them.
Glad he got his money, hope he’s able to be ready to start next year.
Ugh. I’m no 49ers fan, but it’s a shame to see such a fun team have so many pivotal injuries. One reason you do what you gotta to secure the bag when you’re a player.
Except it almost seemed like he quit after getting his bag.
He had a slow start to his year and faced extra attention with injuries around him. I wouldn’t read much into it.
Slow start? He dropped more passes before this game than all of last year. If he doesn’t drop that third down dot purdy threw him it’s a whole different game. Your user name has been him all year sub one game
F*ck
I don’t trust these WR’s at the end of the depth chart, but all we got to do is hope that Deebo returns to his 2021 form and not get injured or “come down with an illness” . Purdy will also have to work harder than ever before. But injuries are a part of football, and the 49ers will have to deal with it :/
And that is why guys fight for their contract. It is any given hit, the hit was nasty but legal. I don’t see the league possibly banning that one then we get no hits at all.