It appears there is a world in which the 49ers could welcome Brandon Aiyuk back with open arms.
As it was reported Tuesday morning, Aiyuk is expected to return to San Francisco’s team facility on Friday to be reinstated in the NFL for the first time since December 2025. Shanahan isn’t closing the door on a reunion.
“There’s no absolutes in life, so,” Shanahan said to Evan Webeck of the California Post when asked about Aiyuk potentially playing again in a 49ers uniform.
He was asked a follow-up question if he has any concern over the team trading him or releasing him, and potentially playing for a rival team like the Seahawks or Rams, and said, “No.”
Aiyuk has been at war with the 49ers for the last year now due to a contract dispute that led to him firing his agent, Ryan Williams of Athletes First.
Over the summer, Aiyuk posted a video on social media calling out Williams and 49ers general manager John Lynch as “weirdos” and “creepy predators” for allegedly showing up at his door.
In the video, Aiyuk said his relationship with Shanahan will never be repaired and has no plans on returning to the 49ers’ team facility.
It appears that Aiyuk is eating his words and is willing to come back to the facility two days after he hired Drew Rosenhaus as his new agent — who has a plan to get him “back to work and playing again in the NFL.“
Shanahan was asked if he heard anything about Aiyuk’s reinstatement, and he said he has no expectation.
“I’ve kind of moved on with that mentally. Kind of how I talked to you guys two months ago. Nothing’s really changed for me,” Shanahan said.
