Forgotten $62m NFL star asks for reinstatement after being banished by Super Bowl team

Brandon Aiyuk is trying to get back into the NFL before the trade deadline.

Once one of the most promising young wide receivers in the league, Aiyuk hasn’t played in a game since October 20, 2024.

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The former first-round draft pick tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee on that date.

Now, Aiyuk has applied for reinstatement to the NFL and will be reporting to the 49ers’ training facility on Friday, according to ESPN.

Aiyuk could be released or traded by San Francisco before the November 10 deadline.

The 49ers have publicly stated that the 28-year-old receiver will never play for the team again after a bitter falling out between the sides.

“No,” said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, when he was recently asked if Aiyuk could be a receiving option for a San Francisco team dealing with key injuries at the position.

Aiyuk still contractually belongs to the 49ers, who control the football future of a fifth-year wideout who’s earned $62 million since entering the league in 2000 out of Arizona State.

That reality led Aiyuk to hire veteran agent Drew Rosenhaus to represent him in the effort to return to the NFL.

Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that he is “working on getting (Aiyuk) back to work and playing again in the NFL.”

The 6-foot, 200-pound wideout earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2023 while San Francisco made the Super Bowl.

Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, peaking during a four-year run that saw his total receiving yardage increase every season.

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But a contract dispute created a divide between Aiyuk and the 49ers.

He eventually received a four-year, $120m deal, yet a major knee injury limited him to seven games in 2024.

Aiyuk stopped showing up at the 49ers’ facility and was eventually placed on the reserve/left squad list.

San Francisco voided almost $27m in guaranteed money for Aiyuk after the receiver failed to attend rehab sessions and required check-ins with the organization.

Aiyuk has since taken to social media several times, posting videos that have linked him to the Washington Commanders and former Arizona State quarterback Jayden Daniels.

“Brandon Aiyuk acquires $10m Loudon County (VA) Estate,” Aiyuk posted on social media, referencing the Commanders’ practice facility.

Multiple NFL teams are searching for wideout help as the NFL trade deadline draws near.

Aiyuk has hired Rosenhaus to help him return to the league after a two-year delay, and he’ll ultimately need the 49ers’ help to get back on the playing field.

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