San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk finally showed up for work on Friday — well, sort of.
The 28-year-old arrived at the 49ers’ business offices near Levi’s Stadium alongside his new agent Drew Rosenhaus. It was nearly 11 months after the team placed him on the reserve/left squad list.
The meeting lasted about an hour and 15 minutes, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, and Aiyuk walked out without a resolution.
It’s the latest twist in a standoff that dates back to October 2024. Now, the two-time 1,000-yard receiver is trying to get reinstated so the 49ers will finally cut him loose and he can pick his next team.
However, the NFL could make him wait a little longer.
NFL Throws Another Hurdle in Brandon Aiyuk’s Way
Aiyuk’s reinstatement request, which Rosenhaus told Pro Football Talk was filed on Oct. 27, still hasn’t been approved by the league. That’s unusual for what’s typically a simple administrative step.
On top of that, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed on Saturday that the league is expected to hand the 49ers a two-week roster exemption once Aiyuk is reinstated. That would push his release back even further.
“He has not officially been reinstated to try and get on the 49ers’ roster — that has not happened,” Rapoport said on “The Insiders.” “Now, there are several issues here. First of all, there is the potential of him to repay some bonuses. The NFL believes that it’s $13 million; the NFLPA believes the number is a little less. We’ll see where they land.
“If there’s a negotiation, if Aiyuk does in fact decide to repay some of that, what he would like to happen is to be on the roster and be released finally and get to pick his team. My understanding is the NFL is expected to give a two-week roster exemption, if he gets reinstated, which would mean the 49ers wouldn’t have to do anything immediately anyway.”
In other words, even if Aiyuk gets the green light, the 49ers won’t be in any rush to make any sort of move regarding his contract. They also wouldn’t have to drop anyone from their current roster to make room for him.
49ers Are Trying to Recoup Millions From Aiyuk
The biggest hurdle for Aiyuk right now seems to be money.
The NFL sent Aiyuk a letter on Thursday saying he owes the 49ers about $13 million in bonus money. That money is part of the $23 million signing bonus Aiyuk received before the 2024 season.
The 49ers had already voided roughly $27 million in guarantees in July 2025 after he skipped rehab check-ins on his knee. The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero reported the dispute could require arbitration and take time to resolve.
Aiyuk, meanwhile, insists he’s ready to go.
“I’m feeling great, feeling healthy,” Aiyuk said before Friday’s meeting. “It was a long recovery process, a long rehab process. But I’m back to 100% and looking to get reinstated to the National Football League.”
Just don’t expect it to be in San Francisco. General manager John Lynch said back in January that Aiyuk had played his last snaps for the team.
Still, the Washington Commanders haven’t completely moved on from a possible reunion between Aiyuk and his former Arizona State teammate, quarterback Jayden Daniels.
NFL Adds Another Unexpected Obstacle to Brandon Aiyuk’s 49ers Return