He’s almost free. After hiring agent Drew Rosenhaus and applying for reinstatement to the NFL, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was finally reinstated on Tuesday. The San Francisco 49ers, who hold his rights, will now receive a two-week roster exemption before they have to make a decision.
What’s next?
Well, if you listen to Rosenhaus, Aiyuk could have a new team soon, despite all the talk about how teams viewed his social media behavior as a red flag.
“I think that, in all likelihood, Brandon would probably sign with a team that knows him, somebody that has somehow been affiliated with him either in college or the 49ers,” Rosenhaus said on the Pat McAfee Show. “That’s just my guess.”
That is, of course, if the 49ers release him as expected.
"Brandon
Aiyuk is working out and he's 100% ready to play.. We would be glad to go and workout for interested teams if he is released by the San Francisco 49ers" @DrewJRosenhaus #PMSLive https://t.co/TZdcyM4eKH pic.twitter.com/q9AGDFivFU
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 10, 2026
Rosenhaus said Aiyuk passed a physical with the 49ers and is 100% healthy. That’s a concern because he last played in an NFL game in October 2024 after suffering a severe knee injury. From there, he has been at odds with the 49ers.
Aiyuk, of course, has made it clear he wants to play for the Washington Commanders. That’s where his former college quarterback and close friend Jayden Daniels is. Also, Washington general manager Adam Peters has a relationship with Aiyuk, as he previously served as San Francisco’s assistant GM before going to the Commanders in 2024.
Aiyuk posted numerous videos on social media wearing Commanders’ gear, saying he wanted to play for Washington, while taking personal shots at the 49ers, especially GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan.
However, over the summer, Aiyuk even took aim at Daniels, specifically his relationship with his mother, who is his agent. It led multiple NFL insiders to say they don’t think the Commanders would sign Aiyuk now.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently said Washington hasn't ruled out pursuing Aiyuk, though conversations would need to happen among key people in the organization.
The Commanders haven’t completely abandoned the idea of adding wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who was rumored during the summer to end up in Washington, according to sources. Before an Aiyuk deal could happen -- if it were to happen -- the organization would have to have discussions with multiple people. It's not a no, but it's also not a yes just yet.
After Rosenhaus’ initial statement that Aiyuk could sign somewhere he is familiar with, he followed up with this.
“A former coach, maybe a former player that he played with, somebody that knows him."
Was Rosenhaus openly telling everyone that Aiyuk was headed to the Commanders? While it sounded like it, neither Rosenhaus nor Aiyuk control that.
Don't expect the 49ers to rush to help Aiyuk. But once he's free, things could get interesting.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Did Brandon Aiyuk's agent hint at him signing with Commanders?
