Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk have a relationship dating back to when both played for the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Aiyuk has been sidelined since the 2024 NFL season due to a severe right knee injury, and he is burning bridges left and right recently, including taking shots at Daniels. Yesterday, Daniels responded to Aiyuk by sharing a meme of NBA legend Kevin Durant giving a thumbs-down motion. However, did Daniels really tell Aiyuk to “enjoy retirement”?
Did Jayden Daniels Really Clap Back at Brandon Aiyuk Amid Beef?
On Sunday, a satire account spread a fake post from Daniels that said, “Enjoy retirement pal.”
It was picked up by many accounts, including by 49ers writer Grant Cohn, but it wasn’t a real post by Daniels.
If they’re trolling, they’re really committing to the bit. pic.twitter.com/fHRGamt34z
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) July 5, 2026
The fake “enjoy retirement, pal” post originated from the satire X account “NFL Drop.” Influencer Coach Yac and others pointed this out after it fooled numerous people.
That’s from this account pic.twitter.com/tPHTvBhP4E
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) July 5, 2026
With that said, Daniels and Aiyuk are actually involved an online feud. Aiyuk recently called out the Commanders QB for laughing after a fan yelled “[expletive] Brandon Aiyuk” in front of him. The two exchanged posts and unfollowed each other on Instagram. While this latest post was fake, Daniels doesn’t appear happy with his former college teammate based on the thumbs-down post and the fact that he unfollowed Aiyuk.
Aiyuk has been sidelined since 2024, when he tore his ACL and MCL in his right knee. He’s also been ripping the 49ers’ organization recently and made it clear he wants to be released. Previously, he was trying to force his way to the Commanders, but it’s possible that ship has sailed.
Aiyuk’s health and recent antics might scare away NFL teams. He has hinted on Instagram that he still wants to play Daniels, but now it’s unclear whether the feeling is mutual.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Daniels has not been immune to injuries and having to miss games either. During the 2025 NFL season, Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in a game against the Seattle Seahawks. He also dealt with left knee issues and a right wrist sprain.
Daniels played 17 games in his rookie season back in 2024, putting up 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdown passes, and 9 interceptions. Last season, though, Daniels was just available for 7 games for the Commanders. He threw for 8 touchdown passes, 3 interceptions, and 1,262 passing yards in 2025.
According to PFN’s NFL QB Impact metrics, which are measured through the regular season, Daniels finished with a 72.3 QB grade (ranking 27th among eligible QBs). Marcus Mariota took over the Commanders’ offense at quarterback when Daniels was unavailable, and his 75.2 QB Impact Score actually ranked 17th, above Daniels’.
Aiyuk was a first-round pick out of Arizona State by the 49ers back in the 2020 NFL Draft. In the 2024 season, Aiyuk totaled 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns. Throughout his five-season career, all with San Francisco, he has amassed 294 catches for 4,305 receiving yards and 27 touchdown catches.
With the 2026 NFL season just around the corner, it’ll be interesting to see if Daniels and Aiyuk can clear the air or if this is the end of their friendship.
