SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brandon Aiyuk took a significant step toward resolving his uncertain future with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, meeting with team officials alongside his newly hired agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
The wide receiver said he has fully recovered from his serious knee injury and is ready to return to the NFL. However, financial and administrative issues still need to be settled before he can be reinstated.
"I'm feeling great, feeling healthy," Aiyuk told Bay Area reporters before entering the meeting. "It was a long recovery process, a long rehab process, but I'm back to 100% and looking to get reinstated to the National Football League."
The meeting at the 49ers' business offices lasted approximately 75 minutes. It marked Aiyuk's first public appearance before Bay Area media since suffering a major knee injury in October 2024.
Aiyuk's Long Road Back
Aiyuk tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 20, 2024. He has not appeared in an NFL game since.
The relationship between Aiyuk and San Francisco deteriorated further in 2025. In July of that year, the 49ers voided approximately $27 million in remaining contract guarantees after Aiyuk failed to attend scheduled rehabilitation check-ins.
He subsequently stopped reporting to the team's facility and was placed on the reserve/left-team list in December. Aiyuk also missed the offseason program and training camp.
Because of his roster status, Aiyuk must receive NFL reinstatement and report to the 49ers before he can return to game action.
He recently hired Rosenhaus as his representative and submitted his reinstatement application in late October. However, the process remains unresolved.
Dispute Over $13 Million Bonus
One of the biggest obstacles is a financial dispute between Aiyuk and the 49ers.
According to a source cited by ESPN, San Francisco has been seeking repayment of approximately $13 million in previously paid bonus money. The NFL informed Aiyuk this week that the money must be repaid before his reinstatement can move forward.
Rosenhaus indicated that Friday's meeting was intended to help resolve the outstanding issues and establish a path toward Aiyuk's return.
"Obviously, Brandon is here to meet with the team," Rosenhaus said. "Fortunately, he's feeling good physically. He's healthy. He's ready to get back to work."
He declined to discuss where Aiyuk might play next, saying those conversations would remain between the receiver's representatives and the 49ers.
49ers Have Three Options if Aiyuk Is Reinstated
If the parties reach an agreement and Aiyuk is reinstated, San Francisco would have three possible courses of action.
The team could release him, which remains the most likely outcome. It could also explore a trade, an option the 49ers reportedly prefer, although they have been unable to find a trade partner during the offseason. The trade deadline is Tuesday.
A third possibility would be adding Aiyuk to the 53-man roster. However, that scenario appears unlikely after general manager John Lynch said in January that Aiyuk had played his final snaps for the organization.
Shanahan Dismisses Possibility of Reunion
Head coach Kyle Shanahan was not involved in Friday's meeting and showed little interest in discussing Aiyuk's potential return.
Asked what outcome he wanted from the meeting, Shanahan said he couldn't "care less."
"It's been over for our football team for a long time," Shanahan said. "So, I don't hear much except questions about him today."
Shanahan also described the situation as complicated and emphasized that he considers it separate from the team's football operations during the season.
For now, Aiyuk's immediate future depends on resolving the reinstatement requirements and reaching an agreement with San Francisco. Although he says he is physically ready to play again, his return to the field remains uncertain.
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