Brandon Aiyuk Will Try to Settle $13 Million Dispute With 49ers, Agent Says

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has not yet repaid the 49ers any of the $13 million in bonus forfeiture that he “allegedly” owes the team, his agent said Tuesday.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN that he will attempt to reach an agreement on Aiyuk’s behalf on that matter “separate and distinct” from resolving Aiyuk’s playing status.

Aiyuk was reinstated from the reserve/left squad list and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell granted the 49ers a two-game roster exemption for him that expires Nov. 23, according to Monday’s NFL daily personnel notice.

“Brandon will either play for the 49ers when the two weeks is up or they can decide to release him, by which he will be a free agent and I expect that there will be interest in him,” Rosenhaus told McAfee. “I definitely expect him to play this season. Judging [by] the comments from coach [Kyle] Shanahan, it doesn’t sound like they plan on bringing Brandon back.

“So when the two weeks is over, it’s my job to potentially find a new team for him. And I’m confident, now that he’s healthy, that he will play. As far as the money that’s allegedly owed… the $13 million, whatever it is—he hasn’t paid anything yet. That’s something that we’ll work out separate and distinct from the issue of him playing. Hopefully we’ll work something out to the benefit of Brandon’s and something that’s fair. And that’s also part of my job.”

Aiyuk passed his physical with the 49ers, according to Rosenhaus.

“I think that in all likelihood Brandon would probably sign with a team that knows him, [with] somebody that has somehow been affiliated with him, either in college or the 49ers,” Rosenhaus said Tuesday. “That’s just my guess ‘cause, you know, there’s a lot of that in the NFL. You see people connect the dots where they [have] history, where there’s relationships.”

Aiyuk took to social media before this season to advocate for a potential move to the Commanders and a reunion with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former college teammate at Arizona State. Commanders general manager Adam Peters formerly was in the 49ers’ front office.

Aiyuk and Rosenhaus met Friday with 49ers officials, one day after being told by the NFL that Aiyuk owes the team approximately $13 million in bonus forfeiture. That issue is part of ongoing deliberations involving Aiyuk, Rosenhaus, the NFL Players Association, the NFL Management Council, and the 49ers.

A source told Front Office Sports last week that Aiyuk, his representation, and the NFLPA were sent a letter from the NFL on Thursday night informing them that Aiyuk owes the 49ers about $13 million in bonus forfeiture.

Another source confirmed to FOS last week that’s the amount the 49ers contend that Aiyuk owes to them in bonus forfeiture. The amount was first reported by Tom Pelissero of Netflix and The Ringer.

Such forfeitures generally are tied to a claim by a team that the player failed to fulfill his contract or violated its terms.

Aiyuk, 28, was ineligible to play while he was on the reserve/left squad list. The 49ers were not forced to make a decision about Aiyuk’s future with the organization as long as he did not apply for reinstatement from that list or report to the team.

However, Aiyuk recently hired Rosenhaus as his agent and now is taking the steps that could force a resolution by the 49ers retaining him under the terms of his contract, releasing him, or trading him by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Rosenhaus confirmed to FOS last week that Aiyuk had applied for reinstatement and would report to the team Friday.

Team officials have said in the past they did not foresee Aiyuk playing again for the 49ers, although Shanahan and general manager John Lynch did not entirely rule out that possibility last week.

“My job is to look out for the best interests of the 49ers,” Lynch said during a radio interview Thursday with Bay Area station KNBR. “And as such, in this particular situation we’re working with the NFL Management Council to navigate through, you know, kind of a different situation. And so it’s fluid.”

Lynch told the station that “we can talk a little more in detail about the process” this week because it is “kind of a fluid situation.” He was asked whether the 49ers would listen to anything that Aiyuk and Rosenhaus might have to say about a possible reunion.

“I think everything’s possible,” Lynch said. “You know, I will say this: We’ve worked with Drew a lot. You know, Drew is a good guy to deal with. He’s reasonable. He’s got integrity. … That’s all good. We’ll see how this thing goes. I think I’ll just leave it at that.”

Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension in August 2024. He has not played in the NFL since suffering a knee injury during an October 2024 game and has been at odds with the 49ers. The team voided approximately $27 million in contract guarantees, reportedly citing his failure to attend meetings and refusal to participate in other team activities.