Brandon Aiyuk burst onto the San Francisco 49ers scene in 2020 as the Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week for Week 3. He quickly became head coach Kyle Shanahan’s go-to weapon, stacking explosive plays. His absence all season has stung the locker room deep, especially quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle, who are missing his presence in the locker room. 

“[Brandon] Aiyuk is a baller. He makes plays, and in man-to-man matchups does a great job creating separation, and he’s an explosive player,” Purdy said. “You get the ball in his hands, and he can go get YAC and bring juice to the offense when he’s in, he did it all, man, at receiver.”

And Aiyuk really did it all. The wide receiver tied the 49ers’ rookie records with 10 catches in one game. He hit 1,000 yards in just 21 outings, fifth-fastest ever for the franchise. Back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons followed, echoing legends like wide receiver Jerry Rice. No wonder Kittle feels a void, too. 

“Aiyuk’s an absolute freak of nature. He’s the number one thing,” said Kittle. “He’s a guy who can run 22 miles an hour and then stop on a dime, and then jump 40 inches with a freakishly long wingspan and catch any ball you throw to him. What he does in the run game too, how he hits people, how he wants to hit people, and you put him and Jauan out there together, it’s like you have two bullies out there.”

The 27-year-old dominated early, but everything changed on October 20, 2024, against the Chiefs. He tore his ACL, MCL, and meniscus in that game, and San Francisco immediately placed him on injured reserve. His rehab moved slowly, and the team later kept him on the PUP list for the entire 2025 season. Any hope of a late return started to fade as the weeks passed. Now, with only four games left, even a 21-day practice window feels almost impossible. 

Is Brandon Aiyuk really done with the 49ers?

The ties between Aiyuk and the 49ers have been sour lately, per The Athletic. Both sides now appear headed toward a full divorce. As Kittle added more, while giving a clear hint,

“At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’s coming back,” said Kittle, answering if he still hopes Aiyuk will return and how he feels about their broken relationship.

“I try my best not to think about it because I love Brandon. He’s one of my favorite teammates I’ve played with. We have a lot of moments together. From his rookie year, every year we played together. So that’s Brandon, I remember. And if I think about it, I wish he’d be here, and it makes me sad. So I push it to the side.”

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Let’s flash back to 2024, when Aiyuk staged a holdout over contract disputes. The 49ers front office actively pushed trade options, but he blocked every deal. They eventually signed him to a four-year, $120 million extension with $76 million guaranteed. Tension never fully eased. He averaged just 58.5 yards per game early with no touchdowns. Then, his knee injury ended everything.

After the injury, San Francisco voided his $26.15 million 2026 guarantees in a settlement as he skipped rehab and other team activities. However, Aiyuk could have filed a noninjury grievance but refused to, per The Athletic. Now, the Niners face a $65.35 million dead cap hit, while $45 million stays guaranteed.