George Kittle Doesn’t Hold Back on Brandon Aiyuk’s Situation Amid Links to NFC Rival

Brandon Aiyuk wants out of the Bay Area. That much is certain. The Washington Commanders are believed to be Aiyuk’s preferred destination if the 49ers decide to trade or release him. Amidst the receiver’s increasingly erratic social media posts targeting the San Francisco 49ers, his current teammate George Kittle had a few words to share on the whole situation.

“The last time I saw Aiyuk was, call it week 6, 7, or 8; I don’t really know,” Kittle said. “I used to make it a habit of mine to go out early in the morning before meetings to watch him train because he’d always be out there early, and I watched him run over 22 miles an hour and stop on a dime. So, he’s still got it, or at least that was a year, eight months ago, so I don’t really know. But you guys have fun with that, I guess . . . You have fun with all that comes with it.”

While responding to a comment about Aiyuk being better off without the Niners, Kittle jokingly said he “wouldn’t be happy either after a team paid me $130 million.” He referred to the extension Aiyuk signed before the 2024 season. That deal made the 49ers drop their trade plans. Given everything that has happened since, the team may now regret that decision.

“You guys have fun with that I guess.”

George Kittle when asked by Commanders fan PFT Commenter if he should be excited for Brandon Aiyuk.

@PardonMyTake pic.twitter.com/pCYqTVaZ9C

— KNBR (@KNBR) June 22, 2026

Aiyuk tore his ACL in October 2024, and that injury ultimately kept him out of football the following season, too. He reportedly ghosted the 49ers throughout the offseason last year and did not report to his mandatory medical and rehab checks prescribed by the team. The 49ers, after multiple attempts to contact him, voided the guarantees on his four-year, $120 million contract that he signed the year prior.

The contract negotiation itself was prolonged and contentious. Aiyuk even requested a trade, which the 49ers agreed to during this negotiation period. The contract itself was signed only a week before the season started.

Before that, Aiyuk was one of the brightest young receivers in the league. During his last full season in 2023, he went off for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors. He played a crucial role in the 49ers reaching the Super Bowl.

In recent weeks, Aiyuk has missed the entirety of the 49ers’ offseason again and has taken shots at his employer through Instagram and, most recently, confirmed a Commanders connection himself.

“What’s up, everybody?” Aiyuk said on a Father’s Day post on Instagram. “I had a great Father’s Day. And before I lie down and go to bed tonight, I just wanted to say, “Go Commanders! Go Commanders, man! Go Commanders! Raise hail, man! Take command!”

While the 49ers still hold the rights to Aiyuk’s services, Aiyuk’s potential exit from the team is a matter of when and not if, and teams would rather wait for the 49ers to make their first move. And also that the Commanders might not be the only potential team in the market for Aiyuk’s services.

Jeremy Fowler reports that teams are waiting for the 49ers to cut Aiyuk

While the 49ers are seemingly playing tough with Aiyuk and holding on to him as long as possible in an attempt to squeeze out any kind of value out of him, the rest of the league sees the situation for what it is. No team is interested in giving draft assets for a player who not only brings heavy off-the-field baggage but also continues to carry a massive contract. The 49ers have made it clear that they are moving on from Aiyuk, essentially giving up their bargaining chip.

So it would be prudent for other teams to just wait for the situation to reach its natural conclusion in the coming weeks/months.

Should he reach the open market without the burden of his current contract, Fowler identified the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens as the other potential destinations that might be looking at adding Aiyuk, other than the Commanders.