Brandon Aiyuk is yet to play a snap for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2025 season as he continues to work his way back from a devastating knee injury that ended his 2024 campaign. Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL, along with meniscus damage, in the 49ers’ Week 7 game with the Kansas City Chiefs in October 2024.
He has spent the entirety of the 2025 season to this point on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, robbing the 49er offense of a key weapon who, when healthy, is one of the premier separators in the NFL. With the injury-hit 49ers very much in the playoff race at 6-4, it would be a huge boost for them to get Aiyuk back for the stretch run, though the prospect of that happening is looking murkier with each week.
When Will Brandon Aiyuk Return for the 49ers?
While the biggest question for the 49ers right now surrounds Brock Purdy’s recovery from turf toe, the most significant unknown is the status of Aiyuk.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan had previously mentioned Week 10 as a potential return date for Aiyuk. However, the 49ers did not open their 21-day practice window ahead of their Week 10 game with the Los Angeles Rams, which ended in a 42-26 defeat.
As the 49ers prepare to face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11, Shanahan, in a Monday conference call, ruled out any possibility of San Francisco opening the 2020 first-round pick’s practice window ahead of that game. Though the 49ers are hopeful of getting Ricky Pearsall back from a PCL injury this week, Aiyuk’s continued absence will raise questions as to whether San Francisco will get him back on the field at all this season.
Speaking last week, Shanahan expressed confidence that Aiyuk would make his return in 2025.
“I’m pretty confident that he is going to [play] eventually,” Shanahan said, per NBC Sports Bay Area. “At least open up his practice window. We talk about it being week to week right now, so still waiting until he is ready.”
Despite his absence, the 49ers offense hasn’t exactly struggled this season, with San Francisco ranking ninth in PFSN’s Impact metrics on that side of the ball.
But, after signing Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million extension in 2024 after a long contract stand-off, the 49ers would surely like to at least get him on the field for a few games to allow him to knock the rust off and be ready for 2026. For now, though, the wait goes on, with the elongated nature of Aiyuk’s recovery a source of significant frustration in another 49ers season defined by injury woes.