Brandon Aiyuk has spoken.
There remains no sign of a contract accord, but Aiyuk revealed he envisions returning to the 49ers, who drafted him in the 2020 first round and who he’s led with over 1,000 yards receiving the past two seasons.
“If I were to take a guess, probably a Niner uniform (in 2024). Probably a Niner uniform,” Aiyuk said on The Pivot podcast, which dropped Friday and was recorded prior to Monday’s meeting he arranged with 49ers officials. “If not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commanders uniform. If not a Washington Commanders’ uniform, probably a Steelers’ uniform.”
The 49ers’ heirarchy — coach Kyle Shanahan, general manager John Lynch and owner Jed York — have maintained all offseason they hope to retain Aiyuk. He claimed the contrary in a recent TikTok video, but, in the hour-long podcast, he basked in the attention created by this offseason’s often-cryptic social media posts.
“We’re starting to get our own footage, recording everything, just enjoying the process,” Aiyuk said. “Just have my lady record everything that’s going on, so I can look back on it, because it’s an exciting time. It’s stressful, but it’s exciting. I want to have these memories.”
ESPN’s Ryan Clark, who co-hosts The Pivot podcast with fellow NFL alumni Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, outright questioned Aiyuk’s claim that the 49ers don’t want him back.
“They told me that they didn’t think that we were on the same page and that they didn’t believe that we were going to,” Aiyuk said. “And that was about it at that time. But it’s part of it. It’s part of the contract negotiations, trying to sway stuff in either direction. So whether that’s 100% true or not, I guess that’s still to find out.”
The 49ers report to training camp July 23. If Aiyuk does not report, he is subject to $50,000 in daily fines. Boycotting the mandatory minicamp could cost him $100,000. A year ago, Nick Bosa did not report to training camp and his fines were waived upon signing the largest contract for a non-quarterback, with that deal brokered just days before the season opener — for the then-reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Although the 49ers have rewarded a homegrown player with a market-setting contract extension annually the past four summers, Aiyuk has proven more anxious to get a deal done. And he’s publicly been the most skeptical of anyone that it may not happen.
“Throughout this process, there were times we were super close, where I’d tell people and my agent, ‘Let me get my suit ready. I’m headed back to the Bay. I’ve got to get right to sign this contract,’ ” Aiyuk recalled. “There were times in this past month or so, you could say we were pretty far apart.”
Neither the 49ers nor Aiyuk’s agent, Ryan Williams, have publicly revealed any details about the negotiations, although veteran NFL reporter Mike Silver told KNBR 680-AM earlier this month that the 49ers offered Aiyuk about $26 million annually. Aiyuk is under contract for 2024, on a $14.1 million salary for his fifth-year option to his rookie deal.
“For actual numbers and stuff to come out, I felt it was a little disrespectful and unfair to me,” Aiyuk said. “But that’s part of it it. It’s a dirty game.”
Aiyuk said at one point this offseason, he’d be on the phone for two hours with his agent, who’d then talk for an hour with the 49ers, all before the wide receiver market exploded with bigger deals, such as Minnesota’s $35 million annual extension for Justin Jefferson.
“The market changed. The market is what it is,” Aiyuk said. “… We really haven’t agreed this entire time.”
Here are other key parts from the podcast:
ON THIS OFFSEASON’S SPOTLIGHT
“I’m having fun. For the past four years, I kind of took a backseat to this guy, or this guy or this guy and just did what I had to do. Now I’m in a position where I wake up in the morning, turn on the TV and they’re talking about me; I get on the phone and they’re talking about me. My mom calling to say they’re talking about me at work.
“I’m enjoying the process. This is the time for me, before the season starts, to get paid and to maximize my value and continue to show who I am as a player. Right now it’s about one thing. … Social media is a way for me and my team to leverage what I’m trying to get. That’s a way to get the message and the facts out there.”
ON HIS FUTURE WORTH
“I have so much more to give. When you talk about social media and there’s I’m thinking about what I can do with him. If the Niners don’t want me back, I know what I could do.”
ON MONEY MOTIVATION
“It’s heavy for sure. For me playing football, it didn’t start with the money. The money was what I got to see along the way. First-round draft pick, it fell into my lap. The situation we’re in now it fell into my lap. I want a team to look at me and value me as a top receiver so I can continue to do what I do.
“… I want them to say, ‘We overpaid this dude,’ then I spin back around and, ‘Nah.’ “
Aiyuk said it is “not my business” to consider how much other 49ers’ stars are making. “I’m worried about me right now. I don’t know about the financial what this person or that person has going on. … If you can’t afford a Lamborghini, you can’t have one.”
ON TAKING IT PERSONALLY
“Are you not supposed to? I’m taking it personal. I have a vision for what I see myself as and you don’t see me as that, or you do and can’t financially do it. It’s no hard feelings though if you don’t want to do it or can’t do it. I’m sure there’ll be somebody that will.
“We ain’t doing the hometown discount.”
ON THE SYSTEM’S INFLUENCE
“I’m a true ‘X’ (split end). People say ‘system,’ I’m in Kyle Shanahan’s system now. But if you watch any of my catches, I’m beating the guys in front of me. I’m beating man coverage to get my reception. I’m not settling in zones – or, maybe sometimes – but I’m not running across the field on crossing routes or shallow crosses. I’m beating guys in front of me to get the football. Yeah I could sit in zone all day, run high crosses all day, beat guys all day long. I’m not going to say I can go crazy in any offense, because there are some that aren’t worth anything.”
ON HIS TOP-5 RECEIVERS
His top-five NFL receivers of all-time, in the order listed by him: Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Jerry Rice, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones.
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ON MOTHER MARTHA’S WISHES
“She loves it. Just the colors, the team itself. She was a huge fan and to see her son accomplish things in those same colors she was screaming about when I was younger, it’s pretty cool. . … She’s on my side right now. She doesn’t care too much about colors right now. She’s trying to make sure her son’s straight.”
ON TRENT WILLIAMS’ INFLUENCE
“That’s my dog. I don’t like to throw around ‘big bro’ too much, but he taught me a bunch of stuff. There were times in my second year, I’m in the doghouse and I’m in the parking lot ready to blackout and go crazy. He tells me, ‘Trust me, leave it alone, keep your head on straight.’ He’s a one-of-one type of player. He’s somebody I appreciate a lot and I look to be that for somebody down the road.”
ON QUARTERBACK BROCK PURDY
“Him and (Jayden Daniels), it’s, ‘I’m not going to say much, I’m going to show you what I’m about.’ Guys can feel the confidence, the energy, the preparation. You could feel it’s real and the talent is real. I can’t say enough about that dude.”
ON THE RECEIVER MARKET
“I feel when you negotiate contracts, it’s similar to (the NFL Draft) where it’s slotted. Right now there’s only a few slots left where I could fall. I hope we can come to an agreement, just as I have since the end of the season in February.