Somehow, Brandon Aiyuk is still a San Francisco 49er.
After a long offseason of trade speculation, extension demands, and the bitter ending of the 49ers' Super Bowl loss, Aiyuk inked a deal to remain in San Francisco just weeks before the 2024 season started.
That was never a given, as reports swirled around the NFL between February and August about whether Aiyuk would hold out, be traded, or land an extension.
However, even after all the drama, Aiyuk will return to the field for San Francisco on Monday night vs. the Jets alongside Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, and the rest of the team's star-studded offense.
Here's a look at the offseason timeline surrounding Aiyuk and his desire for an extension, his trade request, and more, starting with the 49ers' last game in February.
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Brandon Aiyuk offseason timeline
Aiyuk, 49ers fall in OT in Super Bowl 58
The 49ers battled through the NFC bracket to reach the big game but ultimately fell short in overtime as the Chiefs went back-to-back.
Aiyuk totaled three receptions on six targets with 49 yards in the Super Bowl. In the NFC Championship vs. Detroit, he had 68 yards and a touchdown.
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49ers' cap situation makes Aiyuk likely trade candidate
Just two days after the Super Bowl ended, Aiyuk's girlfriend, Rochelle Searight, said in a video that "we might not be out here next season," when discussing the 49ers' loss. It hinted at the WR's exit from San Francisco, and Aiyuk himself later posted "Don't forget what got you there," on his Instagram story.
All the signs were present for an interesting contract situation — the 49ers, already paying high prices for names like Samuel, McCaffrey, George Kittle, and Trent Williams, were limited in how they could use their cap space. Aiyuk was clearly a talented receiver, but with how much money they already had allocated, retaining him wasn't a given, especially with quarterback Brock Purdy currently scheduled to be a free agent in 2026.
Aiyuk became one of the game's best pass catchers in 2023, but the market for wide receivers has also exploded in recent years. A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, and Aiyuk's teammate, Samuel, led the way in resetting the NFL's WR market and making the position more of a luxury.
With that boom in WR money, Aiyuk wanted to be paid among the best at the position after a 1,342-yard season in 2023, but with San Francisco already financially juggling a lot of talent, a big deal was questionable.
From the jump, all of this made the receiver a highly speculated trade candidate for the 2024 offseason.
John Lynch says 49ers won't trade Aiyuk
Early in the offseason, 49ers GM John Lynch said he wanted to keep Aiyuk "around for a long time."
There were still no signs of progress on a new contract, but Lynch made it clear that San Francisco had no intentions of parting ways with Aiyuk.
Throughout NFL Draft season, there were still reports and rumors flying about the team listening to offers for Aiyuk, but nothing ever happened. On June 17, Aiyuk posted a video to his TikTok account where he said the 49ers "said they don't want me back," while talking to Commanders QB Jayden Daniels, only adding more fuel to the fire.
Aiyuk requests trade, starts hold-in
On July 16, ESPN reported that Aiyuk, 26, had officially requested a trade from San Francisco. However, Samuel had done the same thing a few years prior and wound up staying, so it still wasn't a guarantee that Aiyuk would be on the move.
As the new season came closer, Aiyuk attended meetings with the team but refused to practice as he awaited either a trade or new deal.
Trade rumors fly as camp begins
In early August, trade rumors surrounding Aiyuk reached a peak. NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco reported on August 5 that San Francisco had negotiated framework of Aiyuk trades with the Browns and Patriots, and that it was "up to Aiyuk to determine if he will accept the contract terms from either of those franchises."
The report also said that Aiyuk had permission to talk with the Commanders and Steelers.
After a few more days of speculation and conflicting reports, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Patriots backed out of the Aiyuk sweepstakes, and the trade buzz once again died down.
Brandon Aiyuk lands extension with San Francisco
On Aug. 29, Aiyuk signed a four-year extension with the 49ers, per NFL Network. It ended the long cycle of trade rumors, verifying that the 26-year-old wouldn't be going anywhere and Purdy would still have his dynamic receiver on the team this season.
Just days ahead of the season opener, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported that Aiyuk made the decision to remain in San Francisco over being traded to Pittsburgh.
Since getting his deal, Aiyuk has been ramping up to return to play. He'll be back in action on Monday night vs. New York, but he could see limited snaps compared to usual.
Brandon Aiyuk contract details
Aiyuk reportedly signed a four-year, $120 million deal with $76 million guaranteed with San Francisco. Here's a look at the highest AAVs for NFL wide receivers this season, with Aiyuk now tied for fifth on the list.
| Rank | Player | Team | AAV | Total contract |
| 1 | Justin Jefferson | Vikings | $35 million | $140 million |
| 2 | CeeDee Lamb | Cowboys | $34 million | $136 million |
| 3 | A.J. Brown | Eagles | $32 million | $96 million |
| 4 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | Lions | $30.003 million | $120.01 million |
| 5 | Tyreek Hill | Dolphins | $30 million | $90 million |
| 6 | Brandon Aiyuk | 49ers | $30 million | $120 million |
| 7 | Jaylen Waddle | Dolphins | $28.25 million | $84.75 million |
| 8 | Davante Adams | Raiders | $28 million | $140 million |
| 9 | DJ Moore | Bears | $27.5 million | $110 million |
| 10 | Cooper Kupp | Rams | $26.7 million | $80.1 million |