{"id":370942,"date":"2026-06-23T01:44:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T01:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/370942\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T01:44:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T01:44:13","slug":"brandon-aiyuk-on-instagram-pushes-to-leave-49ers-for-commanders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/370942\/","title":{"rendered":"Brandon Aiyuk, on Instagram, pushes to leave 49ers for Commanders"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brandon Aiyuk<\/a> wants a new team, in case the 49ers are listening.<\/p>\n

The 49ers wide receiver shouted out the Washington Commanders in an Instagram Story video Sunday<\/a>. The video featured Aiyuk repeatedly shouting, \u201cGo Commanders\u201d, adding a \u201cRaise Hail\u201d for the Washington fanbase. He also posted a photo of former Washington quarterback Mark Rypien with the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl XXVI.<\/p>\n

Washington has long been rumored as a landing spot for the wideout who has not played for the Niners since tearing his ACL and MCL in 2024. Jayden McDaniels, his former Arizona State teammate, is the Commanders\u2019 quarterback.<\/p>\n

Aiyuk may be trying to pester the 49ers into trading or releasing him, which they will have to do by Sept. 1 if they don\u2019t want to pay his $25 million salary for the season. Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch signaled earlier this offseason they were ready to move on from Aiyuk, though owner Jed York held onto the possibility of a return<\/a> \u2014 or tried to claw back a shred of trade leverage \u2014 at the owner\u2019s meetings in March.<\/p>\n

The 49ers then signed Mike Evans and Christian Kirk, and used their first draft pick on De\u2019Zhaun Stribling, further signaling an Aiyuk departure.<\/p>\n

Teammate George Kittle appears ready to put the whole Aiyuk saga in the past. In an appearance on the \u2018Pardon My Take\u2019 podcast Monday, he said he used to go watch Aiyuk train at the 49ers\u2019 facility before meetings.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019d always be out there early, and I watched him run over 22 miles an hour and watched him stop on a dime,\u201d Kittle recalled, before addressing the idea of Aiyuk joining another team such as Washington. \u201cHe\u2019s still got it, but that was eight months ago, so I don\u2019t really know. You guys have fun with that, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 49ers\u2019 troubles with Aiyuk began before the 2024 season, when contract negotiations between the sides included more social media posts seeking a trade. Those talks extended into training camp, when Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension.<\/p>\n

Last summer, however, the 49ers voided the remaining guaranteed money in the deal, citing his failure to participate in rehab sessions for the knee injury. Relations deteriorated from there and the team eventually put Aiyuk on the reserve\/left team list in December.<\/p>\n

A week after going on the reserve list, Aiyuk posted a video to YouTube<\/a> of himself driving past Levi\u2019s Stadium at triple-digit speeds. Earlier this month, the Santa Clara County District Attorney\u2019s Office confirmed<\/a> it had issued an arrest warrant in February for Aiyuk over the misdemeanor speeding incident.<\/p>\n

Two weeks ago, Aiyuk made more social media noise<\/a>, calling the 49ers \u201cdumb\u201d for their contract machinations with him, saying they are mad at themselves.<\/p>\n

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