Everything worked out for him, but even Brandon Aiyuk admitted that his contract holdout and trade request with the San Francisco 49ers went on too long.
“I’m not going to lie,” he told NBC Sports on Tuesday. “I made it a little bit harder than it needed to be at the end… Over the last month, I think we were pretty good.”
“I’m not gonna lie, I made it a little harder than it had to be in the end.”
Aiyuk on how the twists and turns of his negotiations could have frustrated John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan image.twitter.com/6MSmG6fMdC
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) September 3, 2024
Aiyuk and the 49ers agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract extension last week after months of searching for a new long-term deal. Aiyuk first requested a trade from the 49ers in July, leading to weeks of speculation about where, if anywhere, he would end up. Several teams were reportedly in talks with the 49ers about a possible trade for him (the Pittsburgh Steelers came closest to doing so), but Aiyuk ultimately agreed to stay in San Francisco.
His new deal, which includes $76 million in guarantees, made him the sixth-highest-paid receiver in the league and will keep him in San Francisco for the next five seasons.
Aiyuk had a breakout 2023 season with the 49ers. He racked up a career-high 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 75 receptions while helping the team reach the Super Bowl, which they ultimately lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Aiyuk missed the start of training camp with back and neck issues but did not return after being cleared by the medical team. He officially practiced with the team for the first time on Tuesday. The length of his strike and lack of progress on a deal seemed to bother the 49ers until last week as well.
“At some point you have to play,” 49ers general manager John Lynch said.
Now, with his new contract in place, Aiyuk can do just that. He and the 49ers will officially open their season on Monday night against the New York Jets, once their contract dispute is behind them.
“I feel lighter, I feel more prepared than if I hadn’t gone out this way,” Aiyuk said. via 95.7 The Game“I’m very excited. I feel fresh, renewed. I’m coming in with new energy, very excited to play football again.”