The San Francisco 49ers haven’t needed to do anything regarding Brandon Aiyuk since they placed him on the Left Squad list in December 2025.
That transaction immediately removed Aiyuk from the 53-man roster, and the team no longer has to pay him. Aiyuk’s contract was tolled, or paused. To return to the league, Aiyuk must formally apply for reinstatement.
Per Over the Cap, a “forfeitable breach” of contract allowed the 49ers to recover portions of previously paid signing or option bonuses.
According
to multiple national reporters, Aiyuk is ready to return to the NFL — or at least attempt to. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that Aiyuk hired Drew Rosenhaus for representation. Rosenhaus said he is “working on getting him back to work and playing again in the NFL.”
The 49ers don’t have to do anything.
After Aiyuk spent the past offseason in a parasocial relationship with the Washington Commanders, he might not want to go to a team whose season is all but over. After those social media antics, it’d be surprising to see a team offer Aiyuk anything more than a minimum contract.
But it’s the NFL, and the Chiefs prove every month that they don’t care what kind of person they sign. So Aiyuk likely ends up in Kansas City if he’s granted his wish to be released.
A wide receiver-needy team may be willing to part ways with a late conditional pick ahead of the trade deadline. The odds feel close to a long shot that we see Aiyuk on a football field again in 2026.
