Brandon Aiyuk’s behavior has nothing to do with 49ers’ culture

After soon-to-be former San Francisco 49ers Brandon Aiyuk’s recent social media activity, some have decided that this is not just him acting out for attention but that he’s actually been mistreated by the Niners.

Grant Cohn, who is infamous for stirring things up and has not made friends with players or head coach Kyle Shanahan over the years, has been going around claiming Aiyuk’s behavior is actually due to the team's culture.

He went on a Washington D.C. radio station and said the following:

“De'Vondre Campbell straight up quit the team mid-game a couple of years ago, and people called him crazy. But it's like when it's one guy after another, it makes you feel like there's a clique of in-group players on this team, and then there's everyone else."

What a bizarre take this is.

Campbell quit on the team because he was upset he lost his starting spot to Dre Greenlaw, when literally the only reason Campbell was signed was to fill in for Greenlaw as he recovered from injury. Aiyuk quit on the team when he reportedly did not cooperate with the rehab process after his knee injury and after creating a circus before his contract extension. 

To look at those incidents and claiming that this has to do with some sort of cliquish culture in San Francisco truly defies belief. Aiyuk was very much in the clique. He was a huge part of the 2023 squad that made it to the Super Bowl. Despite all the dramatics, the 49ers still gave him all that money because they felt he could be their No. 1 receiver. He seemingly got along well with all of his teammates, too.

This has nothing to do with San Francisco’s culture. It has everything to do with Aiyuk wanting attention at all costs and not having any regard for his reputation. Both he and Campbell are just who put themselves before the team. That’s why they quit, and it’s why Aiyuk was reportedly upset he wasn’t used as much as he thought he should have been in that Super Bowl.

Just diva behavior at its worst.

The “in-group” players Cohn is referring to, presumably guys like George Kittle, Kyle Juszczyk, and quarterback Brock Purdy are guys who only care about winning. Kittle doesn’t care if he doesn’t get the ball all game if it means the team wins.

Maybe the Niners didn’t handle everything perfectly with Aiyuk. They surely could have done some things differently, sure, but this whole saga is Aiyuk’s fault.

To blame it on the culture within the 49ers makes no sense whatsoever.

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