Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has certainly gone about his business of trying to get out from under the San Francisco 49ers in all the wrong ways, and there's been no shortage of reaction from those who feel the talented receiver is torpedoing his own career.
Seemingly endless online tirades against the Niners (as well as his former agent and the NFLPA) have made an ugly saga even worse, and the disgruntled wideout who hasn't played a snap since October of 2024 could've truly already seen his final game in an NFL uniform, provided 31 other teams, too, have been turned off by his actions.
Yet Aiyuk kept trying to convince San Francisco to finally release him by posting all those videos, and it's not the smartest strategy.
There's still one smart strategy he could employ, though, that would finally give him what he wants.
Still on the reserve/left squad list, the 49ers' proverbial ace up their sleeve might be to recoup north of $18 million already paid to Aiyuk after previously voiding his guarantees in 2026 and 2027 for not meeting his end of his contract. Yet a Sept. 1 deadline—a $9.56 million option bonus is due at that point—ultimately means the Niners have to make some sort of Aiyuk move by that date.
Aiyuk's ace is simpler.
Brandon Aiyuk can force 49ers' hand by showing up for training camp
In one of his videos, Aiyuk vowed never to show up at San Francisco's facility again, aside from as a visiting player, of course.
He should pivot from that statement.
It's the same thing NFL Network's Tom Pelissero argued on The Rich Eisen Show recently, saying the receiver can effectively force the 49ers to action by first filing for reinstatement off the reserve/left squad list, then actually attending training camp at the Niners' practice facility:
We'll see if somebody can get in his ear and give him the correct advice now, moving forward, that, dude, you got to just file for reinstatement, show up to the facility. They're either going to reinstate you to their roster, which is highly unlikely, or they're going to cut you loose.
The sad part for Aiyuk is he could have taken this step earlier this offseason by showing up for organized team activities, which would've likely prompted San Francisco to take some alternative course of action.
Such as releasing him upon said reinstatement.
Yet Aiyuk can still play this card by filing for reinstatement, then showing up for the first day of training camp on July 25. The 49ers would have to respond, and as Pelissero said, it wouldn't be a roster reinstatement.
It'd be a release, just what Aiyuk wants.
Hat tip to David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone for the find and transcription.
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