The Washington Commanders are a side character in the rift between Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers. In recent days, Aiyuk has made it clear that he wants to play for the Commanders.
Before the remarks from Aiyuk, there was only reporting of Washington’s interest in the 49ers’ wideout. Nonetheless, that’s slightly changed with the player dragging the Commanders into the situation.
Still, the question NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco asked is whether Washington actually intends to sign Aiyuk once the Niners release him. Moreover, Maiocco speculated that this could be the end of the road for Aiyuk in the NFL.
“If you’re the Washington Commanders and you’ve been following this, certainly [general manager] Adam Peters knows Brandon Aiyuk very well,” Maiocco said in a June 27 video on his YouTube channel.
“[Head coach] Dan Quinn doesn’t know him nearly as well. I don’t know if he knows him at all, but I can’t imagine the Washington Commanders would be going all in for Brandon Aiyuk just because he says that the day the 49ers release him, the Commanders are going to sign him, or that he’s going to sign with the Commanders.
“Is he just speculating because one of his very good friends, Jayden Daniels, is the quarterback of the Washington Commanders? I don’t know. We’ll see. I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility, or out of the question, to think that Brandon Aiyuk has played his final NFL game.”
49ers Insider Questions Whether Washington Should Be a Destination
Moreover, Maiocco questions whether Daniels wants to deal with this potential headache, understanding that the Commanders need to bounce back this season after failing to make the playoffs the previous campaign.
“We shall see how this whole thing materializes and if the Washington Commanders are willing to stick their neck out for Brandon Aiyuk, knowing full well that Jayden Daniels, the guy who is the most important player, the most important person in the Commanders organization, is a really good friend of his,” Maiocco added. “Is that a headache Jayden Daniels needs, or is that a responsibility Jayden Daniels needs?
“Now, I’m sure Jayden wants Brandon Aiyuk on the team. I’m sure he has told Brandon Aiyuk he wants him as a teammate. But if you’re the Commanders’ management or the Commanders’ coaching staff, do you really want to put that on Jayden Daniels as he enters the third year of his contract?
“He had such a great rookie season, led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game last year, then got injured and his play tailed off a little bit. The Commanders as a whole tailed off a lot. So there’s already a lot on Jayden Daniels’ plate. Do you really want to put the responsibility for Brandon Aiyuk on his shoulders as well?”
Commanders Get Warning About Pursuing Brandon Aiyuk
Whether or not the Commanders want to pursue Aiyuk remains unknown for now. Still, former NFL safety T.J. Ward is warning the Commanders about pursuing Aiyuk to bolster their wideout position for the upcoming 2026 season.
“I don’t give a damn if he shared a womb with Jayden Daniels,“ Ward said on the June 25 edition of “Speakeasy.“ “You ain’t coming over here. And that’s just how it is. If I’m a GM, you could have come out the same way, and I’m not bringing you over here. That’s just what it is. Look at you, bro. You acting a fool.”
In the four seasons he’s played for the 49ers, Aiyuk has recorded 294 receptions for 4,305 receiving yards and has scored 27 touchdowns in 69 games, per StatMuse. Aiyuk missed the entire 2025 season due to a severe right knee injury—a torn ACL and MCL—that he suffered in 2024.
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