Brandon Aiyuk is doing what he can to force his way out of the San Francisco 49ers organization and into the Washington Commanders‘ locker room, but he may now be hurting that cause more than helping it with continuously bizarre social media behavior.
After Aiyuk’s latest Instagram video on Sunday night, June 22 during which he proclaimed: “Go Commanders! Go Commanders! Go Commanders! Raise Hail! Take Command!”
Adam Schefter of ESPN on Tuesday reported that the former second-team All-Pro wide receiver continues alienating teams with his erratic behavior, which included insulting the 49ers’ organizational intelligence for paying him so much money up front on his current $120 million contract.
And prominently among the franchises with meaningful “questions” on Aiyuk at this point is Washington.
“I think every time he opens his mouth, he damages his standing with other teams and he scares other teams from bringing him into their organization,” Schefter said. “In speaking with teams, everybody’s saying, ‘What’s wrong with this guy right now?’ It’s unsettling to watch him, and it’s scary to see how he’s handling himself.”
“By the way, he’s still a member of the 49ers, the team that paid him, and he’s saying ‘Go Commanders,'” Schefter continued. “I even asked Washington their thoughts on signing Brandon Aiyuk. Maybe, for all we know, they’re planning on doing it. But I know having spoken to them leading up to the draft, they had some questions at that point in time, and I would imagine they still exist.”
George Kittle Issued Warning to NFL Teams About Brandon Aiyuk
GettySan Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle.
It has never been clear that Washington intends to sign Aiyuk if, and when, the 49ers ultimately release him. San Francisco has held onto the wideout throughout the offseason, presumably in the hopes of convincing a team to trade for the remainder of his contract, though Schefter’s report Tuesday sheds even more doubt on what was already a doubtful outcome.
San Francisco tight end George Kittle spoke on Sunday about his days playing with Aiyuk, and while complimentary of the WR’s skill set and work ethic, Kittle issued a fairly blatant warning about “all that comes with” putting Aiyuk on a roster.
“I used to make it a habit of mine to go out early in the morning before meetings to watch him train because he’d always be out there early, and I watched him run over 22 miles an hour and watched him stop on a dime,” Kittle said on the “Pardon My Take” podcast. “He’s still got it, but that was eight months ago, so I don’t really know.”
“You guys have fun with that, I guess,” Kittle continued. “You have fun with all that comes with it.”
Commanders Need More Help at Wide Receiver, Unclear if Brandon Aiyuk Worth Risk
GettyWide receiver Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers.
As Kittle noted, Aiyuk hasn’t played a game since sustaining a catastrophic knee injury in the middle of the 2024 campaign.
Based on typical injury return timelines, he should have been available at some point last season. However, his rift with the 49ers deepened during his injury absence and due to alleged violations of his contractual agreement, San Francisco cancelled tens of millions in guaranteed money meant for Aiyuk in 2026. The wideout did not challenge that decision.
Aiyuk has clearly gravitated toward a potential opportunity with Washington in 2026, and the Commanders could certainly use more talent in the receiver room behind Terry McLaurin. However, according to Schefter, the team’s decision-makers are now likely wondering whether the potential risk is worth the possible reward.
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