Why 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Hasn't Posted a Video in the Past Two Days

Call it a streak.

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Suddenly, Brandon Aiyuk has nothing more to say.

For the past two days, Aiyuk hasn't posted a video on social media. That qualifies as a streak. Maybe I'm jinxing him, maybe he's in the process of filming his next self-destructive video as you read this, but it feels like he finally is taking a more grown-up approach to his predicament.

For the past few weeks, Aiyuk posted multiple videos a day in which he either taunted the 49ers, called them names, flaunted cash or pretended he was on the Washington Commanders. At first, his videos were funny, but as he kept making them, they became increasingly disturbing because they revealed that he had no plan to get himself released. He simply was throwing a public tantrum and making his life more difficult.

As he was making these videos, it was natural to wonder who was advising him. Did he have an agent? If so, why wasn't the agent telling Aiyuk to knock it off?

Turns out Aiyuk thought he had fired his agent nine months ago, but never filed the paperwork with the NFLPA. Which means Aiyuk essentially put himself in career limbo with an agent who still represented him but no longer did any work for him.

On Saturday, Aiyuk released a three-minute video in which he essentially said that his agent and John Lynch were in cahoots and that Kyle Shanahan has the temperament of a toddler. Later that day, 49ers Insider Matt Maiocco reported that the 49ers will look to take back as much of Aiyuk's signing bonus as they can -- anywhere from $13.8 million to $18.4 million.

Since then, Aiyuk has gotten serious. He stopped posting videos, he formally fired his agent by filing the proper paperwork with the NFLPA, and he wrote a public plea to the NFLPA to help him after certain members of the union withheld information from Aiyuk, according to him.

Something clearly shifted with Aiyuk. Before, he was flailing around like a forlorn child. Now, he seems to have a grown-up plan of action.

I think it's fair to say that finishing the process of firing his agent was an important step for Aiyuk. It means he's getting educated on what he has to do to get himself to Washington. And I think it's fair to assume he's getting good advice from someone new now that the old agent is out of the picture and out of the way.

Expect Aiyuk to formally file for reinstatement with the NFL in the next few weeks. And if he has to go to the 49ers facility one time to force his release, don't be surprised if he shows up.

He doesn't seem to be messing around anymore.