This offseason has seen many NFL rosters undergo major changes, and for the San Francisco 49ers, this was true of the WR room. Entering last year, the 49ers’ starting WRs were Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and maybe Brandon Aiyuk.
Pearsall remains with the team, while Jennings is a free agent. Aiyuk’s roster status may suggest a specific reason.
George Kittle Admits Uncertainty Around Brandon Aiyuk Situation With 49ers
The Aiyuk situation has been so odd, and really, nobody knows what is truly going on besides the 49ers’ decision-makers and Aiyuk. Back in 2023, Aiyuk was one of the best WRs in the NFL, finishing the season 4th overall in PFSN’s WR Impact Metric. Heading into 2024, Aiyuk was looking to repeat his success, but a devastating injury derailed that.
Against the Kansas City Chiefs in late October, Aiyuk went down injured, and it was later revealed that he tore his ACL and MCL. This shut him down for the rest of the season, and it was really the end of his career in the 49ers.
It has been widely rumored that communication between Aiyuk and the 49ers has been fractured, and that the star WR did not complete the rehabilitation process as the team wanted. Aiyuk was out for the entire 2025 season.
With the offseason underway, the 49ers were expected to move on from Aiyuk as soon as possible, but that has not yet happened.
This has created intrigue around the situation, and on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, 49ers TE George Kittle was asked about Aiyuk and, if he could, to give any clarity:
“I would just talk to him and let him know, ‘I’m your guy. ‘” Just letting you know I love ya’. I started doing that week 6, I don’t really know what week it was, and then a literally week later that story came out about all the crazy stuff and then I didn’t see him again.
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“It’s not something I bring up to John Lynch or Kyle Shanahan very often. I’m like that’s on you guys. I just try to be there for the players if something is going on… I don’t know what’s going on with Brandon. I don’t know what he’s thinking about. So I really have no idea.”
George Kittle on Brandon Aiyuk:
“The last time I saw Aiyuk, he was kinda at training camp, kinda not and then he was in and out of the building throughout the first couple of weeks. Then I started going out to see him in the weight room because he didn’t go into the locker room… pic.twitter.com/tQDetpVW4i
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) March 17, 2026
Like with many answers, or lack thereof, around the Aiyuk situation, Kittle could not really reveal anything.
As with most people on the outside of the situation, he is unable, and really does not want to, know what is going on between the 49ers staff/front office and Aiyuk.
It is a wild situation, but if Aiyuk is healthy and ready to play again, teams will be ready to add him to their roster. As of now, he is still on the 49ers roster.
