San Francisco 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk continues to believe he will be playing for the Washington Commanders in the 2026 NFL season. Recently, in a July 27 article from The Athletic, Aiyuk stated in a text message that he’s “the final peice“ for Washington to win a Super Bowl.
Over the last couple of months, Aiyuk has made it clear he wants to play for the Commanders. However, he’s done nothing to get off the reserve/left squad list that the 49ers have him on.
Moreover, the latest update from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN casts doubt on whether Aiyuk will actually play in the NFL despite his claims about wanting to play for the Commanders.
“I don’t know about much of anything other than he wants to play in Washington,“ Fowler said in a July 27 appearance on The Team 980. “I would be shocked if GM Adam Peters made that signing at this point. If he can somehow get out of his contract in San Francisco and get released, which really requires him to just show up. If he shows up, the 49ers aren’t going to want him around, so they’ll cut him. This all seems pretty clear, and he won’t do that.
“But if he can get out of that deal, maybe at some point, I’m still leaving a little wiggle room that he can sort of rebrand himself, repurpose his image a little bit, do some PR training, and then maybe somebody signs him for the veteran minimum. I’ve resorted to that. I still don’t know. I have a tough time thinking he’s going to get signed this cycle. If he does, it won’t be for any real money. But the whispers of him not playing again seem very real.”
Insider Doesn’t See 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk in Washington
Moreover, Fowler shared what more people are telling him regarding the Aiyuk situation.
“I think people are just curious about what kind of person he is at this point,“ Fowler added. “They just don’t know. They also don’t know if he’s healthy. Maybe you bring him in for a workout somewhere, so we’ll see. I think if Washington signs him, it’s going to take some time. But this is a guy who insulted Jayden Daniels’ mother. I don’t see this happening. I would be shocked if he ends up with the Commanders.“
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.
Commanders Have Other Options Aside From Brandon Aiyuk
Meanwhile, Bill Barnwell of ESPN also stated that he would be surprised if Washington decided to sign Aiyuk after all the drama that’s gone on with the player. Furthermore, Barnwell noted that the Commanders have other options if they really want to add another veteran receiver.
“Deebo Samuel is still out there,“ Barnwell said during a July 24 appearance on The Team 980. “Stefon Diggs is still out there. It’s kind of telling when Stefon Diggs is available and you think he’s going to be much less of a headache than Brandon Aiyuk. But that’s probably where the Commanders find themselves now.
“They have other options. They don’t have to go through this for a player they aren’t even confident will be a real difference-maker. It felt like this was inevitable, and now I’d almost be surprised if it did happen. Although I still think that if it happens with anyone, the Commanders would still make the most sense.”
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