Brandon Aiyuk continues to hog the limelight in the 49ers camp. The former ASU standout, who missed much of the offseason in pursuit of a new contract, recently found himself in the spotlight again—but not for the right reasons.
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Aiyuk had an animated disagreement with head coach Kyle Shanahan over the practice dress code, despite clearly being in the wrong. His behavior sparked criticism from a 49ers insider, who questioned the receiver’s attitude following the incident. Grant Cohn, who reported the incident, gave his take on the matter, calling out the 49ers wideout for failing to act professionally.
Calling it a silly dramatic incident, Cohn sided with Shanahan over the incident stating that football is a team sport and everyone must comply with the rules created by the teams.
“So this is a silly little drama but I got to take Kyle’s side. It’s a team, there are rules. Kyle’s not above the rules, and Deebo complies. Who does Bradon think he is? He set himself apart from the team all offseason, held out. He got his money. He’s $30 million a year. Now come back and be a model pro. You’re making $30 million. You got to act like you care like you cant to be on the team.”
The incident happened when the ASU Alum showed up to the practice wearing red shorts on a casual Friday. The dress code for the given day included black shorts and hence raised eyebrows in the 49ers camp. Seeing Brandon in red one’s irked Shanahan who asked his receiver to change it. While the receiver did switch to the black shorts, the action was also accompanied by a “temper tantrum” from his end.
Brandon Aiyuk throwing a temper tantrum cause Kyle made him follow the dress code like every other player is
diva behavior via @grantcohn pic.twitter.com/ro14hun91D
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 27, 2024
The step of rebellion from the WR draws a reminder of his demands during the off-season, particularly his wish to leave the San Francisco team. Even though his actions could be taken in line with his earlier requests, with his updated contract now, Aiyuk is expected to be on the same page as his teammates in following the 49ers’ set rules.
The line of thought also draws to whether Kyle Shanahan is not able to control the locker room with the diverse players.
Is Shanahan losing control over the 49ers squad?
Looks like the off-season drama has carried over into the season. Two of the team’s most important players, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams held out for their contracts, creating a tense and uncertain situation in the San Francisco locker room. The Niners buckled under and paid the two guys.
While the situation was expected to turn positive for the team, with players driven to play for their money’s worth, the reality seems far from it. The 49ers lost two consecutive games on the road and are now 1-2 for the season after being loaded with heavy expectations. They delivered a lackluster performance against the Rams, with the defense being the culprit and blowing a 14-point lead.
Injuries have certainly played a part with George Kittle, Christian McAffrey, Deebo Samuels, and Trent Williams, being the top names of the players out of the contributing squad currently.
From injuries to incompliance, all problems are looming over Shanahan’s head, demanding quicker answers. The head coach would be focused on resolving the crisis building for the 2023 season runner ups, hoping to get their season back on track.
