San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk posted a video on his Instagram account Sunday afternoon in which he spoke for about a minute and a half, making what appeared to be his first public comments regarding his ongoing situation with the team.
The video included a caption that read, “If you scared just say dat,” while Aiyuk spent much of the 91-second clip referring to an unspecified group as “little boys” and “female dogs” who are afraid. Although he never directly mentioned the 49ers by name, the implication was that Aiyuk may be suggesting the team is hesitant to release him over concern he could join another team and make them regret it.
Aiyuk opened his remarks by comparing those he is “dealing with” to kids who lose a basketball game and take their ball home instead. From there, he continued with pointed comments aimed at that unidentified party.
“Stop running from the bill,” Aiyuk said. “The bill coming. You scared. They scared. Truth is, they scared. They know how I get. They gonna say, ‘Oh yeah, BA, BA, BA did this. BA did that. BA did, you know, that s—, allegedly. Allegedly. But what they not gonna say is ‘BA suck at football,’ cause they know how I get. And they running from that bill that’s on the way. It’s inevitable. It’s coming. Stop running. Stop being a female dog. Stop being a little cat. Stop running from that bill.”
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The video marked the first time Aiyuk has apparently addressed the ongoing standoff with San Francisco publicly. The issues between Aiyuk and the franchise have simmered for nearly a year, escalating last July when the 49ers voided the remaining guaranteed money in his contract. The void followed Aiyuk’s absence from rehab sessions related to tears in his right ACL, MCL, and meniscus.
In December, the 49ers placed Aiyuk on the reserve/left team list after he stopped appearing at the team facility. General manager John Lynch stated in January that Aiyuk had played his final snap for San Francisco. However, the team has not released him, reportedly because it hoped to arrange a trade.
No trade materialized throughout the offseason, with head coach Kyle Shanahan commenting that the organization was “not trying to hook up any other team as fast as you possibly can.” As the months passed, Aiyuk’s status remained unchanged, and speculation surrounding his next destination continued.
It has been expected that Aiyuk’s preferred landing spot would be the Washington Commanders. Quarterback Jayden Daniels of Washington is a close friend, as both played together at Arizona State. Aiyuk’s recent social media behavior has matched that perception and fueled further talk.
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As of Monday, Aiyuk followed only five accounts on Instagram: his wife, Adidas, his personal brand, the Commanders, and Daniels. On Saturday, he also shared photos of himself wearing a Commanders hat.
His social media activity has come amid additional off-field developments. On June 3, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for Aiyuk’s arrest on a misdemeanor charge of exhibition of speeding. The warrant referenced a December YouTube video showing Aiyuk apparently recording himself driving well over the posted 40 mph limit near Levi’s Stadium.
Aiyuk apologized days after posting that video but later posted another Instagram video following the news of the warrant. That post featured Aiyuk driving on a racetrack with a caption stating he had some people “in they feelings.”
Following June 1, the 49ers gained the ability to trade or release Aiyuk with the remaining dead money on his deal divided across two years instead of one. The timing gives the team financial flexibility, though San Francisco has not yet exercised that option.
Because Aiyuk remains on the reserve/left squad list, the team has no strict deadline to release him. Under that designation, Aiyuk receives no pay and does not count against the 90-man roster limit. If he fails to report when training camp opens in late July, he would shift to the reserve/did not report list, potentially incurring fines up to $50,000 per day.
Given those roster rules, one possible resolution would involve Aiyuk reporting, passing a physical, and prompting the 49ers to make a formal roster decision. As of now, his status with the team continues to remain unresolved as both sides stand firm.
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