Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was in a year-long standoff with the San Francisco 49ers, only to burst out following the June 1, 2026, trade deadline. He went on a tirade against the 49ers and their management, labelling them “dumb” and “stupid” for voiding his contract guarantees the previous year and clarifying that he has no intention to return to the franchise. Now, a former 49ers safety, Donte Whitner, is claiming that Aiyuk has self-sabotaged his chance to restart his NFL career.

“What I’m going to say is Brandon Aiyuk sealed his fate,” said Whitner on The Grit Code Podcast. “Brandon Aiyuk will never play another down in the NFL. Yeah, you went at the 49ers front office and their coaching staff. You were very disgruntled, but the only chance you had was Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. That was the only person you had to go to battle for you…

“And for Brandon Aiyuk to not understand that and go on social media and attack Jayden Daniels and his mom, you sealed your fate… So sometimes burning bridges is okay. Not in this instance. So I think that’s rest in peace for Brandon Aiyuk’s career.”

After starting an open war against the San Francisco 49ers, Brandon Aiyuk publicly expressed his wish to join the Washington Commanders alongside former teammate Jayden Daniels. He and Daniels once shared the locker room during their time at Arizona State University. So, following bad blood with the 49ers, Aiyuk saw Washington as a perfect fit for him.

However, the 28-year-old WR also started a feud with Jayden Daniels on July 2. The Commanders’ QB was in attendance to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup match between Spain and Austria. But while he was enjoying the game, a heckler approached Daniels and repeatedly screamed, “F— Brandon Aiyuk! You better not throw to him next year!”

To defuse the situation, Daniels simply laughed and turned away. However, Aiyuk took this laughter as a betrayal and fired back with a video, insulting Daniels’ tight-knit relationship with his mother.

“Boy, I’m a grown-a** man, boy. You gonna have to stop running behind your momma, and I might believe what you talking about,” said Aiyuk.

Immediately following the video, both players unfollowed each other on Instagram. However, Jayden Daniels didn’t shy away; he clapped back at Aiyuk, telling the receiver to “enjoy retirement.”

Days later, Aiyuk claimed he tried calling Daniels to mend fences, but Daniels refused to pick up, confirming that the relationship between the two has fractured. Donte Whitner believes that Aiyuk had the chance to play for the Commanders, but his recent actions towards Daniels have now shut down that opportunity.