Brandon Aiyuk is coming in for severe criticism. The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver has gone on a public tirade on social media against his employers, seemingly with the aim of engineering a move to the Washington Commanders.
Everyone has an opinion. Some are siding with the player, while others cannot believe he is taking this course of action. Just what the real truth of this saga is remains to be seen, and we might never know what went down behind the scenes to make this so bitter.
But for one Niners insider, there were murmurings about Aiyuk's commitment to the cause long before things turned completely sour.
49ers insider reveals Brandon Aiyuk commitment concern Commanders shouldn't ignore
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports revealed that people in the building didn't believe Aiyuk was interested in playing football anymore two years ago. His lack of urgency to sign a new deal was the primary reason, bringing fresh doubt and causing this relationship to go downhill pretty quickly.
“I recall two years ago when they were going through this contract negotiation, there were people within the organization who thought that Brandon Aiyuk didn’t want to play football anymore because the 49ers had given him an offer, he sat on it and didn’t get back to them and the relationship really seemed to be fractured at that point where the 49ers really weren’t sure where Brandon Aiyuk’s mind was and where his urgency was.”
If the Niners really thought Aiyuk didn't want to play, they could have rescinded their contract offer. They obviously didn't, and even though they voided his remaining guarantees, they brought this on themselves.
Aiyuk has shown no indication of throwing in the towel this offseason. He is reportedly healthy and wants to play. George Kittle said he saw the wideout running at 22 miles per hour eight months ago. He is desperate to reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels in Washington, which is a risk general manager Adam Peters might be willing to take when the time comes.
The Commanders may not, of course. They could be content with what they have, or they might pursue another productive veteran like Stefon Diggs if Peters isn't entirely satisfied with how things are unfolding. Nobody knows anything for sure, aside from Aiyuk's clear intentions.
Former Pro Bowl receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who spent time working closely with Aiyuk once upon a time, thought he might be talking himself out of the league with these outbursts. He's drawing a line in the sand, for good or bad. Feelings have been hurt, and nobody is coming out of this situation looking good. Simply put, everyone needs to go their separate ways and move on.
And then, the Commanders will show their hand one way or another.
It's hard to ignore the concerns. However, the Arizona State product has a huge chip on his shoulder, so he should be highly motivated to silence his doubters if the Commanders do give him a shot. That's the best-case scenario for him, especially given there is already a strong bond in place with Daniels.
But if Aiyuk doesn't get his wish to join the Commanders, one has to wonder if another team will be willing to take the plunge.
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