Brandon Aiyuk hasn't played an NFL snap since Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season after tearing his ACL and becoming embroiled in a feud with the San Francisco 49ers.
It appears that Aiyuk is looking to change that as he takes the first step toward attempting a potential NFL comeback after his prolonged absence.
Aiyuk is officially applying for reinstatement to the NFL ahead of Week 9 of the 2026 season, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. The 28-year-old's maneuver comes just days after news circulated that he had hired NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus to help lead his comeback bid.
Aiyuk had to apply for reinstatement because he has remained on the NFL's reserve/left team list since Dec. 13 of the 2025 season. Schefter reports Aiyuk is planning to report to the 49ers'
facility on Friday, Nov. 6, at which point San Francisco will make a decision about his future.
So what does it mean for the receiver? And is a return to San Francisco a possibility? Here's what to know.
Is Brandon Aiyuk coming back?
Aiyuk will return to the NFL if he is reinstated. However, his return to the 49ers is a little less clear.
San Francisco will have to decide whether it wants to keep the receiver on the roster. If the team decides to move on, it can trade or release him. Once Aiyuk is reinstated, the team can't turn him away without a trade or release. Given the history between the two sides, it seems unlikely that Aiyuk would return to the 49ers' active roster.
49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters at a Jan. 21 press conference that Aiyuk had likely played his last snap for the team.
The team later took a stance that they would prefer to trade the receiver rather than grant his release.
"We're available. Give us a call," Lynch said of Aiyuk on April 26 after the 2026 NFL Draft. "And like I said earlier, I think it's the prudent thing to do. He’s an extremely talented player. He's been an extremely effective player in our league; situation didn't work itself out here. That's not to say that it can't be rekindled somewhere else. And we'd be happy to do something with anyone if the opportunity presented itself."
With Aiyuk potentially reporting to the team's facility on Friday, Nov. 6, it's unclear if that stance has changed.
In Nov. 2025, the Niners made the decision to void the guarantees in the receiver's contract after he "failed to attend meetings and declined to participate in other team activities," according to The Athletic. Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension in the 2024 offseason.
On the surface, Aiyuk returning could be a boost to a 49ers team that has no shortage of injuries at receiver. However, the bad blood between the two sides makes it likely that he'll have to continue his career with a different franchise.
Brandon Aiyuk stats
Here's a look at Aiyuk's stats since being drafted by the Niners in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft:
- 2020 (12 games): 60 catches (96 targets), 748 yards, five touchdowns; six carries, 77 rushing yards, two touchdowns
- 2021 (17 games): 56 catches (84 targets), 826 yards, five touchdowns; five carries, 17 rushing yards
- 2022 (17 games): 78 catches (114 targets), 1,015 yards, eight touchdowns; two carries, 23 rushing yards
- 2023 (16 games): 75 catches (105 targets), 1,342 yards, seven touchdowns
- 2024 (7 games): 25 catches (47 targets), 374 yards
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Brandon Aiyuk coming back? WR applies for reinstatement, plans 49ers return
