For the past several months, most around the league assumed Brandon Aiyuk had already played his final snap with the San Francisco 49ers. Now, as the offseason unfolds, quarterback Brock Purdy finally received clarity on who could step in as his next trusted target if Aiyuk leaves.

The update comes from Brock Purdy’s teammate, George Kittle, during an appearance with Sports Illustrated before the Super Bowl.

“My one message for Niners fans, ‘hey, if a rebuild year got us to thirteen wins and a win in the wild card, that’s pretty good,'” Kittle said. “It’s only gonna get a little bit better from that, and all the boys are coming back again. And who knows, we might add some past friends.”

That past friend could be Deebo Samuel. That’s why when the reporters asked him to clarify, Kittle leaned into the mystery, dropping a major clue.

“I don’t know,” Kittle said. “I hung out with Deebo (Samuel) last night. That was fun… I love Deebo.”

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Samuel never agreed to an extension with the Washington Commanders and is now set to reach the unrestricted free agent market. As a result, his path back to Levi’s Stadium feels realistic, especially with Aiyuk essentially going AWOL after the team voided his guaranteed money for 2026 due to missed rehab obligations following his 2024 knee injury.

Currently, it remains unclear whether the team will trade or release Aiyuk. He averaged 15.0 yards per catch in 2024 before his injury and recorded 17.9 yards per reception during his second-team All-Pro campaign in 2023.

On the other hand, George Kittle saw firsthand how destructive Samuel can be with the ball, as Samuel lined up beside him for his first six seasons. And, even as his role has dipped slightly, Samuel still logged 727 yards on 72 receptions and scored five touchdowns this past season.

Because of that, a reunion with the Niners feels logical for Brock Purdy, who is desperate for wide receiver help. Yet amid all the speculation, Shanahan also acknowledged the 49ers have struggled to stay consistent.

Kyle Shanahan opens up about the San Francisco 49ers’ struggles

Before Super Bowl LX kicked off, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan joined NBC’s broadcast crew as the Seattle Seahawks faced the New England Patriots. When the topic shifted to the NFC champions, Shanahan immediately downplayed his role as an evaluator. Instead, he leaned into humor, admitting he might be the worst person to break down Seattle after how the season unfolded for San Francisco.

“I know you guys want my expert opinion, but I haven’t scored a touchdown on these guys the last two times we’ve played them, so I don’t know how good that is,” Shanahan said.

In that moment, the comment felt lighthearted, yet it also quietly acknowledged a problem the Niners Faithful knows all too well. The 49ers closed the regular season with a 13-3 loss to the Hawks, a result that handed Seattle the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Then, just two weeks later, instead of redemption, the 49ers’ season ended with a 41-6 rout in the Divisional Round, marking their worst playoff defeat in nearly four decades.

Soon after, ESPN’s Benjamin Solak added context that made the slump even starker.

“Kyle Shanahan has coached 163 games for the 49ers. His team has only been held under 7 points four times. 2 of the 4 have come in January 2026 against the Seattle Seahawks,” he wrote on X, underscoring how rare those offensive no-shows really are.

Because of that, familiar questions resurfaced across the Bay. When the offense stalls, is it the scheme, personnel, or the quarterback who answers once the script flips? For now, Shanahan can only hope the story changes when the Niners see their NFC West rival again next season.