Brandon Aiyuk always wanted to stay in San Francisco throughout his protracted contract battle with the 49ers, which featured social media rants, a trade request, and an odd “hold in.”
Why did it take so long for Aiyuk to agree to a new contract last Thursday when the 49ers likewise desired to retain their best receiver?
Following his first practice with the Niners since the Super Bowl, Aiyuk said on Tuesday, “I’m not going to lie, I made it a little bit more difficult than I needed to at the end.”
This is a known truth, but since the parties have reached an agreement on a four-year, $120 million contract extension with a $76 million guarantee, it is no longer relevant.
Aiyuk wasn’t certain that this would be the outcome in the end. He refused to sign an extension with Cleveland or New England, thus trade proposals from those clubs fell through. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ refusal to make a compelling enough offer to persuade the Niners to deal Aiyuk also put a stop to the talks.The most logical resolution to the conflict was for Aiyuk to remain in San Francisco, where he could play in an offense directed by coach Kyle Shanahan alongside quarterback Brock Purdy and earn the big salary he desired.
“I simply felt like I knew what I wanted in terms of all those things, not just money,” Aiyuk remarked. “I came to be here because I wanted to be here. I’m content and prepared to leave.
Prior to Aiyuk, eleven receivers had previously agreed to terms totaling at least $70 million this offseason; the richest contract was a four-year, $140 million agreement signed by Justin Jefferson with Minnesota. With a deal worth at least $30 million year on average, Aiyuk is now the sixth receiver.
Aiyuk’s fifth-year option, which was worth around $14.1 million, allowed him to play this season before entering free agency the following year. But even if it meant becoming the “squeaky wheel,” he wanted to move quickly to close the purchase.
He stated, “A squeaky wheel has to know when to squeak and sometimes it has to be silent.” “Just that equilibrium.”
Aiyuk acknowledged that the procedure was difficult, particularly because he participated in a “hold-in” throughout training camp. He participated in meetings and arrived at the squad on time in late July to avoid fines, but he did not practice.
As he watched from the sidelines, he would periodically greet and give hugs to general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan. However, he did not contribute entirely to the team.
“It was difficult,” he stated. Since the rest of the crew was now participating, that was likely the most difficult aspect of the entire process. I am here all the time. I’m not practicing, but they are getting ready to suit up and head outside.
That was the challenging aspect. In keeping with the same vein, though, I was able to attend meetings, experience what they did, and sort of stay connected. Although a little uncomfortable, I believe everything turned just as it should have.
Last season, Aiyuk played a pivotal role in San Francisco’s offensive and developed a close bond with Purdy. In addition to seven touchdowns and a career-high 1,375 yards from 75 receptions, he was named to the second team of the Pro Bowl.
When Purdy targets Aiyuk, his passer rating of 120.5 is the highest of any QB-receiver combination with at least 125 attempts in the last two seasons.
