The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly preparing to release wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk before the start of training camp, following a prolonged personal dispute over his injury rehabilitation and contract, according to league sources on June 22, 2026.
The 28-year-old former All-Pro has not played since tearing his ACL and MCL in October 2024, prompting the organization to void his future guaranteed money due to an alleged unwillingness to rehabilitate with the team.
Aiyuk has publicly expressed his desire to leave, repeatedly saying "go Commanders" in a recent Instagram story video, signaling his preferred destination.
He also captioned another social media video with "coming to a end zone near [you]" and described the 49ers organization as "stupid" in a series of posts.
League insiders note that his social media campaign has harmed his reputation among prospective teams.
An unnamed NFL executive expressed absolute disinterest in signing the former first-round pick, even at a veteran minimum salary, citing concerns over his recent off-field conduct, including reports of erratic driving behavior.
"We don't need that here," the executive said, adding that team officials have reached their limit.
Another source confirmed that multiple front offices are entirely avoiding Aiyuk due to behavior and health concerns.
NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reported via NBC Sports Bay Area that the market for Aiyuk remains incredibly thin, despite long-standing assumptions linking him to Washington.
ESPN Analyst Jeremy Fowler noted on SportsCenter that alternative franchises like Washington, Baltimore, or Kansas City could potentially pursue him if he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
However, Fowler added that interested teams are unlikely to trade for him, preferring to wait for an outright release to avoid heavy contract obligations.
"Whoever gets involved, they're probably not going to trade for him, they're going to wait for him to get released and then he's not going to have the market he had a couple of years ago, but he could still bring value as a former top-10 receiver," Fowler said.
Fowler also described how little leverage Aiyuk holds, as his social media complaints have failed to compel General Manager John Lynch to make a move.
San Francisco still has numerous options to exhaust before cutting him.
According to NBC Sports, if Aiyuk participates in mandatory practices and suffers a season-ending injury, the 49ers would be liable for over $26 million, whereas they currently owe him nothing.
