Brandon Aiyuk’s NFL Reinstatement Bid Could Force 49ers’ Hand

The strange saga of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s fractured relationship with the 49ers could finally be headed toward a resolution, potentially with a parting and Aiyuk’s possible return to the NFL with another team.

The next move could be up to the 49ers to make.

Aiyuk has applied to the NFL for reinstatement and plans to report to the 49ers on Friday, agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed to Front Office Sports on Wednesday.

Aiyuk is currently on the reserve/left squad list, making him ineligible to play until he’s reinstated from it. The 49ers did not have an immediate comment.

The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment by FOS. The NFL Players Association declined to comment.

Assuming that Aiyuk is indeed reinstated, his plan to report Friday to the 49ers perhaps will put the team in the position of choosing between retaining him under the terms of his existing contract, releasing him to make him a free agent, or trading him by the NFL’s league-wide trade deadline Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.

The 49ers, coming off their bye week, play the Raiders on Sunday in Santa Clara, Calif.

It’s not clear whether the 49ers would have the option of pursuing any other courses of action related to Aiyuk’s contract, his playing status, or his off-field actions.

Aiyuk, 28, was a highly promising player through his first four NFL seasons with the 49ers. He had 75 catches for 1,342 yards in 2023. He signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension in August 2024 after conducting a “hold-in” during training camp, reporting to the team but declining to participate in football activities until reaching an agreement on a new deal.

But he has not played in the NFL since suffering a major knee injury, which included a torn ACL and other damage, during an October 2024 game. He has had a public dispute with the 49ers that included the team voiding approximately $27 million in contract guarantees, reportedly citing his failure to attend meetings and refusal to participate in other team activities.

The 49ers have not been obligated to pay Aiyuk’s salary to him while he’s on the reserve/left squad list. They were not forced to make a decision about his future with the organization as long as Aiyuk did not apply for reinstatement from that list or report to the team.

But now, Aiyuk is taking those steps necessary to possibly force a resolution after recently hiring Rosenhaus as his new agent.

Team officials have said in the past they do not foresee Aiyuk playing again for the 49ers.

Aiyuk took to social media before this season to advocate for a potential move to the Commanders and a reunion with quarterback Jayden Daniels. The two were together in college at Arizona State. Commanders GM Adam Peters was in the 49ers’ front office when it selected Aiyuk in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Aiyuk even mentioned purchasing an expensive house in Northern Virginia near the Commanders’ facility in Ashburn.

But it’s not clear at this point whether Washington or any other team has interest in Aiyuk. It’s especially uncertain whether any team is willing to surrender assets, draft picks, or otherwise, in a trade for Aiyuk.

The Commanders signed wide receiver Stefon Diggs before the season but are currently playing without injured star receiver Terry McLaurin. They have a record of 2-4-1 that has raised questions about coach Dan Quinn’s job security.