Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers are preparing for a split in a stunning move, The Athletic reported Friday.
The impending divorce comes just 15 months after Aiyuk, 27, signed a four-year contract extension worth $120 million with San Francisco.
Aiyuk has yet to be activated for the 49ers this season, with the wideout being on the physically unable to perform list since July after suffering a season-ending knee injury during a game against the Chiefs last October.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020. AP
The 2020 first-round draft selection has also failed to show up to meetings, among other team activities, over recent months, with San Francisco getting annoyed with Aiyuk’s lack of communication, per The Athletic.
In response, the 49ers decided to void Aiyuk’s guaranteed money in his contract for the 2026 NFL season, saying that being absent from team events resulted in a failure to fulfill his contractual obligations, The Athletic reported.
Brandon Aiyuk (11) runs against Terrance Mitchell (39) of the Houston Texans in the second quarter of the game at Levi’s Stadium on January 02, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. Getty Images
Aiyuk then reportedly told representatives for the NFL Players Association that he was not intending to fight San Francisco’s move, which ultimately clears the way for him to be released at the end of the season.
San Francisco can recover a large amount of Aiyuk’s contract by voiding his future guarantees. He was set to receive $24.935 million from his 2026 option bonus, as well as a $1.215 million base salary, $100,000 workout bonus, and roster bonuses amounting to $750,000 per game.
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Aiyuk has spent the entirety of his five-year NFL career in San Francisco, racking up 4,305 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns on 294 receptions.
His best season came in 2023, when he made the All-Pro second team for recording seven touchdowns and 1,342 receiving yards while starting 16 games.
The 49ers are third in a competitive NFC West with a 7-4 record, sitting behind the Rams and Seahawks.