Star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk said he wants to stay with the San Francisco 49ers this season despite his contract stalemate with the team.
Aiyuk, who is entering the final season of his rookie deal, told TMZ Sports at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday that he’s ready to play for the 49ers although they have yet to agree on an extension.
“For sure,” Aiyuk told TMZ Sports. “For sure!”
Aiyuk added intrigue to his contract situation with the 49ers with a post to TikTok this month.
In the video, Aiyuk is talking via FaceTime with Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former Arizona State teammate.
Aiyuk tells Daniels, “They said they don’t want me back.”
Daniels responds, “That’s it?”
“I swear,” Aiyuk said, prompting Daniels to shout, “My boy!”
Aiyuk wrote in the caption of the post, “Im laughing but im crying fr.”
It is unclear whether Aiyuk was implying the 49ers don’t want him back for this season or is saying the 49ers don’t want him beyond this season because they are unwilling to meet his demands on what would be a lucrative contract extension.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler previously reported that talks between the 49ers and Aiyuk “have stalled a bit.”
Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is slated to count $14.124 million against the salary cap in 2024. The wide receiver is coming off a 75-catch, 1,342-yard, seven-touchdown season.
He didn’t participate in the 49ers’ offseason program and skipped the team’s mandatory minicamp. He is subject to fines in excess of $101,000 for boycotting the minicamp.
49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel said during the team’s minicamp that he has been in regular contact with Aiyuk throughout the offseason, offering his help when needed on how to navigate the contract situation. Samuel agreed to a three-year extension with the 49ers in 2022, but not before he demanded a trade due to the slow pace of his contract talks. His top piece of advice to Aiyuk has been to preach patience.