Brandon Aiyuk’s contract situation with the San Francisco 49ers took another cryptic step this offseason, as a viral TikTok was seen of the receiver FaceTiming Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, saying "they don’t want me back."
Daniels and Aiyuk played together at Arizona State before the quarterback transferred to LSU. In the video, Aiyuk is heard telling Daniels, "They said they don’t want me back."
Daniels responded, "That’s it?" Aiyuk quickly says, "I swear."
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"My Boy!" Daniels reacted in a celebratory manner.
The video, which was posted to Aiyuk’s TikTok page, was captioned, "Im laughing but im crying fr."
While we can’t know for certain whether Aiyuk is talking about the 49ers not wanting him back for this season or after his franchise tag year is over in 2024, their offseason has been filled with tension as he searches for a contract extension.
ESPN recently reported that contract talks between Aiyuk’s camp and the 49ers have "stalled a bit," though the organization has expressed their desire to have him on the team.
His 49ers teammate, tight end George Kittle, also told Fox News Digital this offseason the team should want to keep Aiyuk in place.
"I talked to B.A. multiple times throughout the offseason just going through the contract negotiations," Kittle said. "It is tough sometimes because you’re talking to people who you’ve been with them three to four years and you guys are arguing about what your worth is, which is an uncomfortable conversation from time to time, and you might not see eye to eye.
"I haven’t asked the details of his contract or anything like that, but it’s just more of a, ‘Hey, be patient.’ It’s just kind of the way the Niners do things. I didn’t sign my contract until two-and-a-half weeks into training camp, and that’s pretty stressful when you have to go out there and practice while doing a deal. So, I told him, ‘Be patient, continue to work on your craft, don’t let anything distract you. Just go out and be yourself every single day.’ He’s in the right state of mind, the right space. I’m not worried about Brandon."
Deebo Samuel, who noted during minicamp that he’s had discussions with Aiyuk, signed an extension in 2022. However, he requested a trade when talks slowed down and wasn’t given his deal until that line was crossed.
"At the end of the day, you want to get what you deserve, and you hope it happens," Samuel said, via ESPN.
Aiyuk is set to make $14.124 million this season on the franchise tag unless common ground can be found. He is also subject to fines north of $101,000 for missing the 49ers’ mandatory minicamp, while not showing up to voluntary workouts as well.
Aiyuk is coming off a career year in San Fran, catching 75 balls for a whopping 1,342 yards with seven touchdowns over 16 games. His teammates, including Kittle, have expressed that he’s a top receiver in the league. And with many getting paid, including Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and A.J. Brown, Aiyuk is looking to cash in as well.
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