The San Francisco 49ers are sitting at a 9-4 record, but Brandon Aiyuk’s situation just took a decisive turn. Fresh off a 26-8 win over the Cleveland Browns, Kyle Shanahan opened up on his situation. On KNBR, when pressed on whether he still expects the star wideout back before the regular season ends.

“I’m definitely still hopeful … but I’m not counting on it,” Shanahan said.

It was blunt. It was honest. And it was the clearest admission yet that San Francisco is preparing to move forward without him. Months of setbacks, uncertainty and zero progress on the field finally forced the organization to confront what once seemed unthinkable.

Aiyuk has been on the PUP list all year with a devastating knee injury, torn ACL, MCL and meniscus, suffered in Week 7 of the 2024 season. He hasn’t played one snap in 2025, and he might not play at all. Inside the building, frustration has grown as the team continues to win without one of its most explosive playmakers. Shanahan said again that he wants Aiyuk back, but reality no longer aligns with intent.

Shanahan said back in November that Aiyuk’s situation was unique, explaining,

“I’ve been coaching over 20 years, and I’ve never been in a situation where a contract’s been voided.”

His words only underlined how complicated it has all become. Injury, contractual fallout, and deteriorating trust pushed both sides toward what now feels like an inevitable separation.

While Shanahan said last month that he “would love for Brandon Aiyuk to be” part of the team’s long-term future, that hope is colliding head-first with the finances. If the 49ers cut Aiyuk outright, they’d be staring at a crippling $29 million cap hit in 2026, per 49ers & NFL News 24/7.

Only a post–June 1 designation would soften the blow, splitting the dead money into roughly $8 million in 2026 and $21 million in 2027. The numbers make keeping him difficult and moving him equally problematic, creating a financial trap with no easy exit.

The trouble traces all the way back to the 2024 training camp when contract tensions boiled over. Behind the scenes, the 49ers attempted to honor that request, but Aiyuk blocked potential deals by using his contract leverage. A week before the beginning of the 2024 season, San Francisco tried to smooth waters, finalizing a lucrative extension with $76 million guaranteed. It wasn’t all peace, though.

Weeks later, Aiyuk and Shanahan had a heated public disagreement during practice, over the receiver wearing the wrong practice shorts. It didn’t help that his on-field production was only averaging 58.5 yards per game with zero touchdowns through the first six weeks

49ers GM on WR Brandon

Four weeks are left in the 49ers’ regular season, and one big question, whether Brandon Aiyuk will appear in any of them, resurfaced on Tuesday. This time, however, the response from the top decision-maker of the organization didn’t offer much wiggle room.

He has been on the PUP list all season after the multi-ligament knee injury, and San Francisco hasn’t opened Aiyuk’s 21-day practice window. The next opportunity would be after this week’s bye, but General Manager John Lynch didn’t sound optimistic while speaking to KNBR.

Lynch said, “Realistic, I’m not sure. Hopeful, yeah. I think that’s where I’d leave that . . . We’re a better football team when Brandon’s out there, but that’s probably what it is, hope right now.”

The 49ers voided the remaining guarantees on Aiyuk’s contract earlier this year, something Shanahan insisted “doesn’t have anything to do with [Aiyuk’s] future.” But combined with the injury and the tension and financial fallout, the picture is increasingly clear.