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11/06 17:08 CST NFL tells Brandon Aiyuk he owes the 49ers about $13 million, AP
source says
NFL tells Brandon Aiyuk he owes the 49ers about $13 million, AP source says
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) --- The NFL has told disgruntled receiver Brandon
Aiyuk that he needs to repay the San Francisco 49ers about $13 million he
previously received in bonuses as he tries to get reinstated to the team's
roster.
Aiyuk has submitted his paperwork to the NFL to get back, and he arrived
alongside agent Drew Rosenhaus for a meeting Friday afternoon at the team's
business offices, which are near the team facility at Levi's Stadium.
"Brandon is here to meet with the team. Fortunately he's feeling good
physically. He's healthy, he's ready to get back to work," Rosenhaus said. "I
don't really have any comment about where he's going to play. We'll keep that
between us and the Niners but obviously we're here with all the right
intentions."
A person with knowledge of the situation said the league sent Aiyuk and the NFL
Players Association a letter Thursday saying that he owes the 49ers the money
based on bonuses he was paid after signing a four-year, $120 million extension
just before the start of the 2024 season. The person spoke on condition of
anonymity because the letter was not released.
"I'm feeling great, feeling healthy. Long recovery process, long rehab
process," Aiyuk said as he arrived at the Niners' offices. "But I'm back to 100
percent and looking to get reinstated into the National Football League."
Coach Kyle Shanahan said he would have no role in the meeting and didn't care
at all what happens, saying that he has moved on from Aiyuk and the situation
isn't a distraction at all.
"It's been over for our football team for a long time," Shanahan said. "I don't
hear much except questions about it today. But it's not too big of a deal for
me to answer."
The Ringer first reported that the Niners were seeking the money back from
Aiyuk.
San Francisco general manager John Lynch told the team's flagship radio station
KNBR on Thursday that it was a "unique" situation that the team was trying to
work through.
"My job is to look out for the best interests of the 49ers, and as such, in
this particular situation, we're working with the NFL management council to
navigate through kind of a different situation," Lynch said. "It's fluid. I'm
going to kind of leave it at that because I've been recommended to do so, and I
think it's the right thing to do. We'll look for a pathway for both sides here
that works."
Aiyuk hasn't played a game in more than two years since going down with a knee
injury in October 2024 and has been on the reserve/left squad list after
leaving the Niners late last season.
He fired agent Ryan Williams during his long-running dispute with the 49ers and
was without representation until he recently hired Rosenhaus.
Aiyuk will remain under contract with the 49ers after he is reinstated by the
NFL. Lynch previously has said he doesn't expect Aiyuk to play for the Niners
again.
The 49ers previously voided $27 million guaranteed in Aiyuk's contract for 2026
for failing to participate in meetings and other team activities last summer
when he was rehabilitating his knee injury.
Aiyuk signed the big extension just before the start of the 2024 season
following a lengthy contract hold-in that kept him out of training camp. He was
coming off a 2023 season when he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven
touchdowns and was a second-team All-Pro.
Aiyuk had only 25 catches for 374 yards in seven games in 2024 before getting
injured. The 28-year-old has 294 catches for 4,305 yards and 25 TDs since being
drafted in the first round in 2020.
___
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
___
See AP's full NFL coverage here
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