Brandon Aiyuk to Leave 49ers: Kyle Shanahan Backs John Lynch’s Decision on $120M WR

For all of the insanity that took place between the down markers in 2025, one of the biggest story lines of the regular season just so happened to take place outside of not just the football field, but the San Francisco 49ers’ facility altogether.

After months of ducking phone calls from the coaching staff, ghosting team meetings, and refusing to appear at the team’s facility altogether, the 49ers’ former WR1, Brandon Aiyuk, is all but officially as good as gone.

During Wednesday’s end-of-season press conference, the team’s general manager, John Lynch, suggested that “It’s safe to say that he’s played his last snap with the Niners,” confirming what many had suspected ever since Aiyuk shared on social media a video of him speeding past Levi’s Stadium in a luxury sports car.

#49ers GM John Lynch and HC Kyle Shanahan were asked for any background on what has happened to Brandon Aiyuk:

Lynch: “I wish I knew. Can’t help you there.”

Shanahan: “That’s something I’d never seen in 22 years of coaching. It’s unfortunate. It’s confusing.” https://t.co/gLwm07zrj9 pic.twitter.com/ptay0LjSIC

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 22, 2026

The star wide receiver’s extended absence resulted in all $27 million of his 2026 guarantees being voided, and if he wants to continue his career in the NFL, then he’ll be doing so elsewhere. “That’s something I’d never seen in 22 years of coaching. It’s unfortunate,” head coach Kyle Shanahan added. “It’s confusing.”

Aiyuk has yet to break his silence on the matter, and that’s likely because, at this point, there’s not much else to say. Throw in the fact that an extended beef via the media could potentially hurt his future negotiations, and perhaps it’s for the best that he remains quiet.

Many believe that the entire ordeal has been enough to scare away most teams from even entertaining the idea of calling Aiyuk, but according to CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan, there are still a few potential suitors to keep an eye on, mainly the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“This is an organization that has long been eyeing Brandon Aiyuk,” Sullivan noted in his most recent report. “Bringing in somebody like that to pair opposite of D.K. Metcalf is really important, no matter who you have.”

Apart from the Steelers, the New England Patriots are another team that has been linked to wide receiver talks in recent months. Ever since the emergence of Drake Maye, the franchise has been salivating at the idea of providing their sophomore sensation with a more capable receiving core.

The disgruntled WR1 of the Philadelphia Eagles, A.J. Brown, who is expected to be on the move this offseason, has come up often in these discussions for New England. But if he were to become unavailable for one reason or another, then Aiyuk could prove to be sufficient as a secondary option.

Nevertheless, it’s almost impossible to gauge the demand for Aiyuk at this time, and that’s exactly why he’ll be one of the more intriguing names to follow throughout the coming months.