Brandon Aiyuk and San Francisco 49ers Continue “Waiting Game” Amidst Steelers’ Low Offer

The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to bolster their receiver room by adding Brandon Aiyuk. However, it seems the 49ers are not satisfied with the offer on the table. As reported by Dianna Russini, Aiyuk’s current team is unhappy with what the Steelers are proposing, noting that they want “a wide receiver back in return, if possible… but they are also open to other positions.” 

The timeline has moved pretty fast for the parties involved. Just a week ago, it was reported that the 49ers will not be looking to trade their star receiver. Many analysts even pointed out that they don’t need to trade him anywhere.

He is still in his contract year, and if no resolution is reached, he can simply play out this season and see what happens, similar to what Dak Prescott did with the Cowboys.

The timing is unfavorable for a trade. Under these circumstances, finding a trade scenario that satisfies Aiyuk, the 49ers, and the team he’s being traded to will be a herculean task with the season just weeks away.

Notably, Aiyuk turned down a $32 million offer from the Patriots, apparently due to dissatisfaction with their current QB situation. Thus, finding a team comparable to the 49ers is likely to be challenging. And for the 49ers to find a trade package that justifies this move, it also won’t be easy.

Aiyuk’s current team is an upstanding Super Bowl contender with a young and exciting QB who has already proven himself to be worthy. While moving to a team like the Steelers or the Patriots might secure Aiyuk his desired compensation, it may not be a situation he’ll be entirely satisfied with.

No team, other than the Chiefs, has a core group like the 49ers. They’ve made it to the big game twice in the last 5 years. Once, without Aiyuk. So the 49ers might do okay without him, but Aiyuk’s resume will definitely take a hit if he moves on to a worse situation.

That said, another prominent wide receiver who left to secure his bag has faded in the playoffs. Tyreek Hill, once the talk of the town as the most formidable weapon in the Kansas City Chiefs’ arsenal, now only makes appearances on Twitter during January and February, as Colin Cowherd recently pointed out.

Cowherd compares Aiyuk to Tyreek Hill

During an episode of The Herd, Cowherd highlighted how Tyreek Hill found himself in a situation similar to Aiyuk’s. Like the 49ers player, Hill was a superstar receiver on a historically successful team. However, when such a team is built, many deserving players need to be financially respected. Ultimately, Hill and the Chiefs couldn’t reach a consensus.

Unwilling to take less money, he packed his bag and flew down to Miami. Now, his regular season stats are still great, but during the playoffs, he is a mere social media star. Cowherd said:

“Tyreek Hill, remember when he mattered in January and February? ‘Hey, but he got the bag!’ But he’s irrelevant when it matters now. He watches the games like all of us, on television.”

When it comes to the playoffs, the time when it matters the most, Hill’s team is nowhere to be found. They are still finding their footing and it doesn’t look like Hill is going to be in his prime much longer, having already hinted at retirement at the age of 30.

So by moving on from the Chiefs, Hill may not have himself any favors professionally. Maybe financially.

Aiyuk has a choice to make. He can move on, get the bag, and be financially satisfied, but potentially struggle professionally. Or he can find common ground with the 49ers, help them succeed, win it all, and then capitalize on his on-field achievements through off-field opportunities. NFL World awaits how this situation goes down.