Today is May 20th, 2026, and the San Francisco 49ers and star receiver Brandon Aiyuk are no closer to a resolution. The bizarre timeline from holdout to a lucrative extension to where we are now is truly something. Speculation has run rampant about which side is to blame, what the circumstances are surrounding the 49ers’ decision to take back their money, and where Aiyuk is in general.
NFL insider Mike Garafolo joined the Rich Eisen Show with Tom Pelissero filling in for Eisen and had interesting
things to say about the situation between the 49ers, Aiyuk, and even Aiyuk’s agent.
Garafolo believes the 49ers are giving Aiyuk a taste of his own medicine and said: “ And it’s almost out of, I don’t wanna say spite, but it’s almost like, ‘You know what? You sort of held us hostage last year. Now it’s our turn right now.”
The insider shared some advice for Aiyuk also. “ If I could advise Brandon Aiyuk, I would tell him to show up for work. I would’ve told him to show up for work a couple of weeks ago. Go ahead. See if they’re willing to let you work out and run routes and do things at their facility that if you’re injured, all of a sudden, those guarantees are back, and your money is on their books once again.”
Pelissero asked Garafolo if Aiyuk could pass a physical, to which Garafolo replied, “ Washington (Commanders) may know better than San Francisco, right?”
Ryan Williams represented Aiyuk as his agent, and Garafolo says that hasn’t changed despite the receiver ignoring advice from Williams after his disappearance.
The biggest question Garafolo had was about Aiyuk’s desire to continue playing NFL football.
“ There’s an extremely small circle, uh, that he has been willing to communicate with thus far. I don’t know that he wants to play. Like, I can’t answer that question. Does he want to play NFL football? Does he want to play in Washington? I have no idea. That’s all part of it, too.”
The insider said he believes it would be silly for Washington to send draft capital to San Francisco for Aiyuk, but Aiyuk’s disappearance is only making things more complicated as it continues.
Check out this video for Garafolo’s full comments.
