Journalist Grant Cohn, who has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011, believes WR Brandon Aiyuk will never be happy in Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme. In Cohn’s opinion, the 49ers ought to come to terms with this reality in deciding whether to trade Aiyuk.
Cohn notes that “if Aiyuk had it his way, it seems clear he’d prefer to play for another team.”
After leading San Francisco in receiving yards (1,015) and receptions (78) in the 2022 season, Aiyuk took to social media to seemingly advocate for a greater role in the team’s offense:
The tweet did not have the desired effect from Aiyuk’s perspective. He wants the 49ers to get him the ball more often and feels that, in an offense run by Shanahan, he “never will get the amount of targets … he has earned.”
Brandon Aiyuk’s Bio and Stats
29-year-old Brandon Aiyuk was born in the Sacramento area and grew up in Reno, Nevada. He made the All-State team as a high school senior.
In his second year at a Northern California junior college, Aiyuk made the junior college All-American team. He then received offers from college football powerhouses, including Alabama. He chose to attend Arizona State. He played the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Sun Devils, making the first-team All-Pac-12 team in the latter season.
The 49ers selected Aiyuk as the 25th overall player in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Aiyuk’s Impressive Tenure with the San Francisco 49ers
In four seasons with the 49ers, Aiyuk has started in 69 out of the 71 games he has played for the team, including nine of nine postseason games. He has amassed 26 receiving touchdowns.
In the 2023 season, Aiyuk was named second-team All-Pro.
Last offseason, the 49ers picked up the fifth-year option on Aiyuk’s rookie contract. Aiyuk is now preparing to commence his fifth year in the NFL. If he stays on the 49ers, they will pay him at least $14,124,000 this season.
In the 49ers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII, Aiyuk was targeted only six times and had three receptions.
Aiyuk Wants Out
Aiyuk feels his accomplishments on the field merit a featured offensive role. However, Shanahan evidently does not envision Aiyuk playing such a role.
There has been a history of friction between Aiyuk and Shanahan, with the media characterizing Aiyuk’s status at one point as being in Shanahan’s doghouse. A disconnect developed between the two, which has resulted in Aiyuk being frozen out of the 49ers offense at points.
Grant Cohn takes up the case for Aiyuk in this rift. He rhetorically asks:
“Which wide receiver in the NFL plays harder than Aiyuk? Blocks harder than him? Practices [harder] than him?”
Cohn says Aiyuk “does everything right and never complains.” Cohn’s ultimate assessment is that an accord between the 49ers and Aiyuk appears unlikely:
“Aiyuk probably feels Kyle Shanahan’s reluctance to feature him cost the 49ers a Super Bowl. So why would Aiyuk want to keep playing here? He’ll never be happy. The 49ers should consider that when they decide whether to trade him.”
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