Following the 2023 NFL season, Brandon Aiyuk appeared to have established himself as a budding superstar for the San Francisco 49ers. The career year earned Aiyuk a massive contract extension and appeared to lock him in in San Francisco for the long haul.
Unfortunately for both sides, things have gone downhill since the extension was signed. Aiyuk has dealt with a myriad of injuries in the two years since signing the contract extension, including poor performance on the field and poor decision-making off the field. The 28-year-old’s time in San Francisco appears to be finished, and his future in the NFL as a whole remains murky.
Emmanuel Acho Worried Brandon Aiyuk is Having a Mental Health Crisis
Former NFL linebacker and current NFL media personality spoke about Aiyuk on ‘Speakeasy’ and how there are signs people may not be looking at in his behavior.
“I’m tired of it. Like, we could quite literally be watching Brandon Aayuka in the midst of a mental health crisis,” Acho said. “He continues to go on Instagram live just carrying himself in a very atypical manner. We [are] going to get our jokes off, express yourself, be yourself, free yourself, all the things, but then at what point are we retroactively going to be like, man, we should’ve seen the signs.”
In 2023, Aiyuk ranked No. 4 in PFSN’s Wide Receiver Impact Metric (WRi), catching 75 of 105 targets for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games played. The dominant season earned Aiyuk a four-year contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers worth $120.0 million, with $76 million guaranteed.
After the extension, Aiyuk struggled in 2024, catching only 25 passes for 374 yards and no touchdowns in seven games before suffering a torn ACL. While the year was a disappointment, injuries happen, and the expectation was that Aiyuk would return to form the following season.
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However, that is not what happened. Instead, Aiyuk missed team meetings and activities, failed to rehab properly, and ended up missing all of the 2025 season. His actions led San Francisco to void his guaranteed compensation.
Following this, Aiyuk posted a video of himself speeding online, which led to an arrest warrant being issued for him. As a result, Acho speculates that something deeper may be at play that people are not discussing.
“I think somebody needs to check in on Brandon Aiyuk,” Acho added. “I think he might have too many yesmen around him. I think he needs to have a hard and/or uncomfortable conversation and be like, ‘Hey bro, what do you want out of life? And are you getting closer to it or further away from it?'”
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The activity could be seen as a cry for help or similar to the scenario that played out with another talented wide receiver, Antonio Brown, a situation Acho compares it to.
Many found Brown’s actions funny or outlandish when he threw his jersey into the stands or made crazy headlines, but as more unfolded, it became clear there could be more to it.
It’s unfair to speculate, but Acho’s point raises a fair question of whether Aiyuk’s actions should be looked into as signs of a potential mental health crisis.
Aiyuk is now expected to be traded or released, but his off-field actions, combined with the clarity that he won’t play for San Francisco again, have rendered his trade value nonexistent. His NFL future figures to be a major storyline as the situation further unfolds.
