49ers Tight End George Kittle Calls Brandon Aiyuk "Sensitive"

Interesting choice of words.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Finally, someone on the 49ers took a shot at Brandon Aiyuk publicly.

This comes just a few days after Aiyuk took a shot at Christian McCaffrey, implying in a post on Instagram that he fumbled away the Super Bowl two years ago. Aiyuk has been engaging in an online tirade against the 49ers since June 1, taunting them almost daily and acting as though he's on the Washington Commanders even though he's still on the 49ers.

This week, Kittle was interviewed by NBC Sports' Chris Simms, who asked Kittle about Aiyuk.

"Speaking of some bad apples, Brandon Aiyuk," Simms said.

"What do you want to know?" Kittle asked

"Are you guys a little shocked at this turn he has taken?" Simms asked. "You've known him. He was a teammate. Are the guys in the locker room wondering what the hell is going on with him right now with some of these Instagram posts he's doing?"

"A majority of this has come during the summer break," Kittle said. "I literally got back to the building yesterday, and I have not seen anybody or heard anybody talk about it. In general, I feel like I know basically everything that has happened and gone on, and I can't share all of that because it's not my business to share or tell, but I just want to let you know that I feel like the 49ers have done a very good job throughout the entire process and have tried. Kyle has tried, John has tried, teammates have tried, and this is where we are. I think the organization itself has done a really good job.

"Like I said, I know plenty of things, and I don't ever want to single out a player. I don't ever want to point a finger at anybody, but I've been here for 10 years, and I've been treated with nothing but respect and love my entire career. I feel like I've done it the right way as long as I can. Contract negotiations are always hard for anybody, and you just try your best to not be sensitive about it. Richard Sherman gave me advice back in the day when I was going through my first contract negotiation, and it was, 'Contracts are like braces. They hurt, and they suck the entire time, and then once you get them off and you get paid, you don't even remember having them.' That's the mindset you have to have.

"If you get offended by something and you hold onto it, that's kind of on you because everybody goes through contract negotiations and they're all difficult."

"Well said," Simms chimed in. "And I, like you, know some things too there and would second your sentiments that the 49ers have handled things quite fine in my eyes."

Keep in mind, Simms is Shanahan's best friend. Which means Simms definitely knows some of what happened behind the scenes. It also means he's biased.

As is Kittle. Of course, he supports the 49ers in this case. They write his checks. Aiyuk doesn't. He's just a soon-to-be former teammate.

But is Kittle correct that the 49ers "have done a really good job" handling Aiyuk? Let's take a close look.

Two years ago, the 49ers could have signed Aiyuk for $27 million per season had they acted quickly and offered him that deal early in the offseason. Instead, they waited, and the Lions reset the market by giving Amon-Ra St. Brown $30 million per season.

At that point, the 49ers could have traded Aiyuk for a second-round pick, but they didn't, because they're indecisive.

Instead, they begrudgingly gave him $30 million per season even though they didn't like him, then instantly regretted the decision.

Next, the 49ers tried to trade Aiyuk when he was injured, before he could even walk. That's how eager they were to get out of his deal. But no team wanted to trade for his awful contract, so they found a way out of it when Aiyuk violated a technicality in it by skipping a team-mandated rehab check-in a few days before camp started.

Now, the 49ers are holding onto Aiyuk for no discernible reason and with no plan. And they're replacing him with Mike Evans, who will turn 33 in August. Meanwhile, Aiyuk is 28. And if he goes to the Commanders and outplays Evans this season, the 49ers will look foolish.

So no, I don't agree with Kittle that the 49ers have handled Aiyuk well the past couple years. I think they should have traded him for a second-round pick when they had the chance.