Brandon Aiyuk’s drama with the San Francisco 49ers continues to escalate, as the wide receiver isn’t slowing down on his public criticism of the team. While he’s drawn backlash for taking repeated shots at the organization, former NFL running back LeSean McCoy has surprisingly supported Aiyuk’s stance, saying, “It’s time to fight back. Don’t let these ownerships, man, just try to own you.” Richard Sherman, however, believes that if a team is paying a player, that player is obligated to provide the agreed-upon services.

“They paid him $30M to catch the football,” Sherman said. “If you get paid for the services, you have to provide the services. You don’t just get to get paid and say, ‘na I’m not gonna play wide receiver. You don’t get to get paid and say I’m not gonna rehab with the team, which is fine; you can choose not to rehab with the team. Many players have done it.

“But if you do that, you have to show up 4 days earlier than everyone else (it’s protocol) because the team that invested $30M a year in you wants to evaluate you and see how your rehab is going. They want to do MRIs, they want to do testing, and they want to do it at a time when there aren’t 90 other players there. So they can focus on you. So all the doctors can show you true attention and focus, and give you the care and the understanding that you need, so that they can truly understand where you’re at in your process.”

Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL during a 2024 season game against the Kansas City Chiefs and hasn’t played any snaps since then. In 2025, meanwhile, the Niners placed him on the PUP list amid his rehab. By November 2025, things escalated when the Niners voided his guaranteed money, as he failed to show up at the facility. Eventually, the organization placed Aiyuk on their reserve/left squad list.

Since then, the WR hasn’t shied away from criticizing his team via multiple Instagram posts. The wide receiver said that the 49ers are “scared” to let him go, before labelling them as “stupid” and “dumb” for paying him around $50M in less than a year. Fast forward to Father’s Day, and Brandon Aiyuk took a step further when he publicly hyped up the Washington Commanders, where he reportedly wants to play in the 2026 season.

“Man, what’s up, everybody? I had a great Father’s Day,” Aiyuk said. “And before I lay down and go to bed tonight, I just want to say, Go Commanders! Go Commanders, man! Go, Commanders! Raise hail, man! Take command!”

But Sherman believes Aiyuk’s frustration with the 49ers didn’t come out of nowhere. In fact, the tension between the receiver and San Francisco reportedly began after the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. Aiyuk finished the overtime loss with three receptions for 49 yards. However, he reportedly felt that he could have made a greater impact on the game and potentially helped lead the Niners to a Super Bowl victory, but he didn’t receive enough targets.

Aiyuk entered that offseason with frustration, and that only grew during his contract situation ahead of the 2024 season. While he eventually signed a four-year, $120M extension with the 49ers, things escalated with his 2024 injury, as he hasn’t played a single snap since then.

Now, Sherman believes that if Aiyuk felt disrespected during the Super Bowl and contract situation and was frustrated with the 49ers, he should have addressed that before signing the extension and agreed to be traded during that time. Instead, he signed his deal and stayed with the team.

Fast forward to now, and Aiyuk wants out of San Francisco. The 49ers are also looking to move him, but they have yet to find a trade partner. According to Jeremy Fowler, Aiyuk remains “untradeable” because of how he has been acting out. From ghosting the 49ers to not playing a single game since 2024, Aiyuk’s behavior draws a concerning pattern for any team willing to trade for him.

And while releasing Aiyuk remains an option, doing so would leave the 49ers without any compensation. Reportedly, any interested teams are waiting for the organization to release the WR so that they can sign him to a low-value contract and see how he plays in the 2026 season. As things stand, the Aiyuk-49ers saga doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon, at least not before September, when Aiyuk is due an optional bonus.