Brandon Aiyuk continues to apply pressure on the San Francisco 49ers to release him. The relationship between the team and the player is permanently damaged, but he’s still under contract. With the 49ers still holding his rights, he can’t do anything but wait and lash out with a few tirades on his Instagram.
But not everyone agrees with his strategy.
Andrew Brandt Claims Current Drama Won’t Help Brandon Aiyuk’s Situation
While Aiyuk is extremely unlikely to ever fix his relationship with the 49ers, his current behavior on social media won’t help his situation with many other teams either. Public criticism of the franchise and indications that he wants to play in Washington won’t be met with open arms around the NFL.
Former NFL executive Andrew Brandt, who worked with the Green Bay Packers for a decade, shared his view of how Aiyuk is currently acting.
For Brandt, while the Commanders could see him as a fun addition to the offense, they won’t be enamored by his actions:
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“What a bad way to get it,” Brandt said. “Now he’s making Instagram videos, just begging the 49ers to cut him, bashing the 49ers, bashing John Lynch, bashing his agent, bashing the NFLPA, and talking about signing with the Commanders, where he’s friends with Jayden Daniels, where the GM came from San Francisco, and I’m just thinking… anyone associated with the Commanders, you want that? Like, you think the Commanders want a piece of that?”
He continued, “I can’t see it, which is why he’s still on the 49ers roster, because he doesn’t have any money due to September, they can squat on him, and hope, against hope, that somebody offers a deal they can take, because who wants Brandon Aiyuk right now? He looks like he’s a little off, and he’s making these videos, and he’s bashing team, who’s going to sign up for that? Commanders, really? No, I don’t think so.”
“I would say Business of Sports Hall of Famer but gosh, what a BAD way to get it…”
“You think the Commanders want a piece of that? I can’t see it…”@AndrewBrandt discusses the ongoing situation with 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk, on the latest Business of Sports: pic.twitter.com/hUuUknx7pH
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) July 2, 2026
Brandt did say that the only way a team would be interested in Aiyuk is if he is released by the 49ers and they can get him on a one-year prove-it deal.
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Aiyuk hasn’t regularly played since 2023. After a contract dispute with the 49ers, which ended as he signed a four-year, $120 million deal, he suffered a serious knee injury and missed most of the 2024 season. He didn’t play in 2025, as the franchise voided his contract guarantees and their relationship broke.
His 86.7 grade in our PFN WR Impact Metric, earned in 2023, seems a distant memory for fans, who don’t know if he’ll ever return to his best days, even if he joins another team. At this point, everything about Aiyuk’s future is unclear.
