Brandon Aiyuk has repeatedly said he is interested in the Washington Commanders amid his ongoing beef with the San Francisco 49ers. While some also saw the Commanders as the top suitors for Aiyuk throughout the whole brawl, NFL insider Adam Schefter thinks the 49ers star has even ruined his chance with the Commanders for a potential trade.
Adam Schefter Explains How Brandon Aiyuk May Have Sabotaged a Move to Washington
Former 49ers star safety Donte Whitner sounded off on Aiyuk on his “The Grit Code” podcast this week, saying the wide receiver’s ego might have ended his NFL career. Even former Cincinnati Bengals star T. J. Houshmandzadeh said on the “Speakeasy” podcast that Aiyuk’s “mouth has gotten him in trouble a bit too much.”
Like Whitner, Houshmandzadeh admitted he would not be shocked if Aiyuk never plays another NFL game. Given the criticism Aiyuk has drawn across the league for his repeated social media outbursts aimed at the 49ers, that discussion is becoming harder to dismiss.
Before Aiyuk can join another team, the 49ers would first need to release him, or he would have to pursue reinstatement through the league, neither of which has happened. Meanwhile, he has continued to hint at a desire to join the Commanders, including posting Instagram stories featuring himself in Commanders’ gear.
Then again, Aiyuk also recently shared a video aimed at Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. His actions have seemed to be extremely inconsistent, leading Schefter to believe he has damaged his appeal to interested teams, including Washington.
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“I honestly believe that he has scared off teams like Washington,” Schefter said. “I think they’re looking at these social media posts, repeated social media posts where he’s blasting the Niners, where he’s criticizing Jayden Daniels and saying, ‘Is this the kind of guy that we want to bring in right now and have a part of our franchise?’”
Meanwhile, Schefter also added that multiple NFL front offices have even asked him about Aiyuk, saying, “Does this guy even want to play?”
Washington seems unlikely to pursue Aiyuk, as NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that the Commanders are not expected to have interest in acquiring the wide receiver “at this stage.”
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Washington could reportedly turn its attention toward other options, such as Stefon Diggs. Fowler said that at least five wide receiver-needy teams have checked in on Diggs, while describing Dan Quinn’s Commanders as a club seeking “more of a speed option.”
Schefter also said that Aiyuk’s social media behavior could further push Washington toward signing Diggs rather than taking a chance on the 49ers receiver.
