Fans and analysts alike already knew things weren't great in the relationship between wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and his employer, the San Francisco 49ers.
But, the day before the Niners' Week 15 game against the Tennessee Titans, the bombshell of a transaction -- placing Aiyuk on the reserve/left squad list -- had to hit like a ton of bricks.
The seldom-used transaction typically applies to players under contract who are weighing retirement or have, quite literallly, gone AWOL.
And, in Aiyuk's case, it certainly appears as if the latter is true.
"We haven't seen him forever," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Aiyuk after San Francisco defeated the Titans. "That's a decision they make. It's been pretty simple for me. I mean, I haven't seen him in a month. And same with our team.
"It hasn't been an issue with our team at all. We've kind of been plugging away, and no big deal. It's just something we've been used to for a while."
What's known is Aiyuk was showing up to team activities while recovering from 2024's torn ACL and MCL injuries, even after San Francisco voided guarantees on his contract for 2026; a news element that The Athletic reported months afterward.
But then, the disgruntled receiver apparently stopped showing up whatsoever. And it remains a mystery why.
Of course, all this comes after Aiyuk received a hefty contract extension entering 2024, albeit one filled with drama, trade rumors and contention. Now, all that's clear is Aiyuk faces an awfully uncertain future where the only given is an all-but-guaranteed departure from the 49ers.
Speaking of that future...
Brandon Aiyuk's NFL future is cloudy after receiver goes fully AWOL
This isn't the only recent time a Niners player quit on his team. Fans won't forget how linebacker De'Vondre Campbell literally walked off the field in-game late in 2024, was subsequently suspended by the franchise and hasn't seen an NFL field since.
Aiyuk's case is notably different, of course. He received top-receiver money despite the heated negotiations and trade rumors, yet the relationship between player and franchise remained fractured.
That still might be understandable within NFL circles, sure. But arguably a bigger red flag will be both how Aiyuk didn't fight San Francisco voiding his guarantees and also his own disappearing act when the 49ers made it public they wanted him back and contributing.
Even former Niners cornerback Richard Sherman couldn't understand Aiyuk's logic here:
"Sitting out puts your pride before your pocket. And if you put your pride before your pocket, that’s something I cannot understand because it doesn’t help your family, it doesn’t help you, and it doesn’t help the point you’re trying to prove. That’s the point I don’t get."
Related story: 49ers insider casts shadow on Brandon Aiyuk's short- and long-term futures
The 49ers could aim to trade Aiyuk this offseason, yes. But it seems likelier they'll release him with a post-June 1 designation, meaning the receiver would be free to sign anywhere at the start of the league new year.
Yes, there'll be a market for his services. That's a given. However, 31 other teams have reasons to be wary.
For starters, Aiyuk's injuries were serious. Without any game tape to see how far along he is in his recovery, inking the receiver to a hefty free-agent deal is a no-go. On top of that, other teams are going to have a tough time understanding why Aiyuk effectively walked away after receiving his extension, departing an offensive-friendly system in which he was the clear-cut WR1 on the roster.
That won't bode well for a lucrative contract elsewhere this offseason either.
Simply put, Aiyuk has a lot to prove before another team takes a pricy chance on him. And, as Sherman also said, it'll potentially take the receiver a long time to make that money back.
If he even gets a legitimate chance to do so.