Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has continued to grab the headlines during the NFL offseason due to his very public standoff with the San Francisco 49ers. Aiyuk has repeatedly called out the 49ers and even proclaimed his preferred destination as the Washington Commanders in several videos posted on Instagram.
T.J. Ward Not Sold on Brandon Aiyuk’s Potential Commanders Move
During a recent segment on the “Speakeasy” show, Denver Broncos’ Super Bowl champion T.J. Ward revealed why the Commanders might not sign Aiyuk, despite the wide receiver’s pleas.
“I don’t give a damn if he shared a womb with Jayden Daniels,” Ward said. “You ain’t coming over here… If I’m a GM, you could have come out of the same thing, and I’m not bringing you over here. That’s just what it is. Look at you, bro. You acting a fool, you doing all this.”
“You was driving past the stadium about to get reckless driving, you throwing money around, you talking bad about this ownership,” Ward added. “These owners are a club. I don’t care if they got different 32 teams. That’s a club in itself. ‘We 32 billionaire owners, we mob, and we move as one.’ It’s a collection.”
Aiyuk signed a mammoth four-year, $120 million contract extension in 2024. Before that extension, according to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, he was the fourth-highest ranked receiver in the league in 2023 with an impact score of 92.7. Thereafter, the wide receiver tore his ACL and MCL, ending his 2024 season prematurely.
After being placed on the PUP list before last year’s training camp, he reportedly missed several mandatory rehabilitation sessions with the 49ers medical team, leading to the voiding of the guaranteed money in his contract for the season, kick-starting the tension that has led to the current standoff.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
NFL Insider Gives Aiyuk Reputation Warning
During Wednesday’s segment of the “NFL Live” show, ESPN’s NFL insider Jeremy Fowler revealed that Aiyuk had trashed his stock in the league due to his antics, putting his future earning potential in jeopardy.
“He’s lighting money on fire is what he’s doing every time he puts an Instagram video out right now,” Fowler said. “So he is on the left squad list for the 49ers still. To get off that list, he has to apply to Commissioner Roger Goodell. He has to file paperwork. I’m told that hasn’t happened.
“I’m told the 49ers haven’t given any sort of firm indication to him whether he’s going to be cut, traded, whatever. Teams I talked to say that he’s essentially untradeable right now. I’ve talked to some people around the league who think that when he does get cut, if he gets cut, that he might have to sign a veteran minimum deal somewhere.”
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Before his injury, Aiyuk had been one of the most productive wideouts in the league, registering 4,305 receiving yards on 294 catches, resulting in 27 total touchdowns in 69 games across five seasons. So it remains to be seen whether the Commanders or any other team will pursue him if the 49ers release him.
