Brandon Aiyuk! Help me, Help You!
Return to the NFL explained.
Former NFL Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk continues to make posts complaining about the 49ers not releasing him.
“Get me off your bum ass team, man!” Aiyuk said in an Instagram clip.
Aiyuk also posted a clip of himself dancing with the caption “Mood cause I’m gone be a Commander soon.”
Here’s the problem for Aiyuk. The Commanders don’t have the ability to sign him as long as his rights still belong to the 49ers. The 49ers don’t have the ability to cut him because he’s not technically in the NFL right now. Last December, after he had stopped showing up to team facilities, the 49ers placed Aiyuk on the Reserve/Left Squad list.
The only way for the 49ers to release him would be for Aiyuk to come off of that list. In order to come off of that list, Aiyuk needs to submit a request to the league office, and be reinstated by the commissioner of the league, Roger Goodell.
There’s a wrinkle to that approval, though. As of June 26th, Aiyuk still has a warrant for his arrest out of Santa Clara County for an incident when he drove over 100 MPH past Levi Stadium in December. It’s highly unlikely that Goodell will approve Aiyuk returning to the league, prior to resolving that issue, as he’s currently in violation of the league’s personal conduct policy.
Per ProFootballTalk, Aiyuk no longer has an agent representing him. Based on the Instagram videos, Aiyuk seemingly doesn’t have anybody giving him advice. At least none that’s good or that he’s listening to.
Here’s what Aiyuk needs to do if he wants to play football in 2026.
Stop making Instagram posts. They’re hurting, not helping.
Hire a lawyer. Aiyuk needs to resolve his warrant before the league can do anything for him. A lawyer would be able to reach out to Santa Clara County and figure out what it’ll take to make his warrant go away.
Hire an agent. The agent can help get Aiyuk back into the NFL by submitting a letter to Commissioner Goodell. Once Aiyuk is back in the league, the agent can push the 49ers to cut him (If they need any pushing). Then the agent can negotiate with the Commanders or any other team that may have interest in Aiyuk.
Bottom line, despite the numerous posts about playing for the Commanders in 2026, Aiyuk hasn’t taken the steps necessary to make a return to the NFL even possible. Aiyuk claims he’s healthy and that he completed rehab away from the 49ers facilities last year. If true, and if Aiyuk does come back to the NFL, it remains to be seen if the Commanders, or anybody else, will be willing to sign him.
Written by Seattle Mike