The Brandon Aiyuk standoff has dragged on much longer than anyone expected. The wide receiver remains locked in a dispute with the San Francisco 49ers after the franchise wiped out his contract guarantees last offseason.
Now, as frustration continues to build, former NFL star Roddy White is urging the 49ers to mend fences with Aiyuk before the relationship reaches a point of no return.
Roddy White Pushes 49ers To Reunite With Brandon Aiyuk
Speaking with “Hard Rock Bet,” White made it clear he wasn’t impressed with the way the franchise handled the situation.
“I think this situation has been handled wrongly by the 49ers,” he said. “They should’ve been more patient with Aiyuk and his situation. They should have done all they could to get him back on the field to give him an opportunity to show he can still play football. When you have a guy who is angry and just wants to leave, it’s hard to get any compensation for him.”
Aiyuk’s relationship with the 49ers started to unravel after he signed a four-year, $120 million extension in 2024. That season, he appeared in just seven games before suffering ACL and MCL tears.
Although injuries are part of football, league rules require injured players to stay in regular contact with team medical personnel throughout their recovery.
However, Aiyuk failed to meet those responsibilities. He allegedly stopped reporting to the 49ers’ facilities and missed scheduled rehabilitation sessions.
San Francisco then proceeded to void the remaining guarantees in his contract last offseason because of the alleged default, and later placed him on the reserve/left squad.
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White understands why the organization has taken such a firm stance in the contract standoff. “It’s frustrating for the organization as well because they’ve invested a lot of money in him already and they’re not getting any production out of him,” he said.
“If I were in the building, I would do everything I could to mend fences with him and get him back on the field because that’s the only way you’ll get something you want out of the situation.”
That opinion comes from what Aiyuk accomplished before everything unraveled. During the 2023 season, he hauled in 75 receptions on 105 targets for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns while commanding a 21.6% target share.
As a result, the PFN WR Impact Metric graded him as the No. 6 wide receiver in the NFL.
Because of that production, White feels the 49ers should take another chance on Aiyuk.
“When healthy, he’s a WR1 in my eyes, and he could help the 49ers reach the next level,” White added. “My message to the 49ers would be to mend fences and get him out on the field, because no team will give them any compensation right now, as they already know he wants out.”
For now, the 49ers hold all the leverage. Aiyuk has not sought reinstatement from the reserve/left squad list, leaving San Francisco under no obligation to release him or continue paying him. As a result, the former first-round pick’s NFL future remains in limbo.
