How the 49ers Learned a Lesson From Brandon Aiyuk

The one lesson Brandon Aiyuk gave the 49ers.

Dec 17, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan talks to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

This summer has become routine with Brandon Aiyuk posting videos about his situation with the San Francisco 49ers. 

It’s been insane, hilarious, and sad to watch. Unfortunately, this isn’t going to end anytime soon, so buckle up. Aiyuk will continue this, which probably leads the 49ers to regret ever extending him.

But on the contrary, I don’t think the 49ers regret extending Aiyuk at all. In fact, the 49ers benefited from it, as they learned a powerful lesson from Aiyuk.

It’s a lesson that changed their critical approach for them.

The lesson Aiyuk gave the 49ers

Jul 24, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (in black hoodie) watches his teammates work out during the second day of training camp. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Aiyuk was the last player the 49ers extended after a drawn-out negotiation that led to a holdout. They learned from that. They knew from that moment on that they had to finalize contract extensions before training camp and not during or after.

Look at how they’ve responded since they extended Aiyuk. They got deals done with Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Fred Warner well before camp started. It was miraculous to see the growth in them.

But that wasn’t a one-off by the 49ers. When Jauan Jennings tried to hold out by milking a calf injury, they didn’t budge. They didn’t give in to his demands, and boy, did they come out of that looking like geniuses.

Jennings ended up becoming a free agent and didn’t sign until almost a few months after free agency began. The 49ers dodged a bullet by handing Jennings an extension because they would’ve massively overvalued him.

You can even cite the extension they landed with Trent Williams earlier this offseason. Before, that would’ve been an issue that lingered forever. Now, it’s been nipped in the bud, so it won’t be an issue when training camp begins.

Aiyuk taught the 49ers this lesson. He was their last straw in drawing out and eventually giving in to these contract negotiations. And if a situation similar to Aiyuk's ever arises, they’ll actually pull the trigger on a trade this time.

Or maybe they’ll just keep the player and let them lose out on money by fining them to set a precedent. The 49ers should start doing that if a player has already been told that they’re not going to have their contract demands met. 

For as much as Aiyuk is wilding out on social media right now, he’s certainly taught the 49ers a valuable lesson that has led them to improve their approach with contracts for the better.

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