Brandon Aiyuk Is Officially Reinstated, But His 49ers Era Is Already Over

Brandon Aiyuk is officially back in the NFL, which is great news for anyone who forgot he hasn't played a snap of professional football in two calendar years.

According to Jordan Schultz, the former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver passed his physical on Monday and has been formally reinstated. Now comes the awkward part where he waits for the 49ers to actually release him so he can try to salvage his career on somebody else's practice squad.

"Jordan Schultz reported Aiyuk passed his physical and is hoping for a release."

To fully appreciate the absurdity of this timeline, you have to rewind to October 2024. Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL, which is a brutal break for any player. But instead of a standard recovery, the situation devolved into a masterclass in burned bridges. By July 2025, San Francisco voided $27 million in guarantees because he reportedly ghosted their rehab plan, and the team is still trying to claw back $13 million in bonus money.

Now we have a 28-year-old receiver who hasn't caught a pass in two full years trying to sneak onto an NFC practice squad in Week 10. The 49ers currently hold a two-week roster exemption, meaning head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch can just sit on his rights while they figure out if anyone is desperate enough to trade for him before Tuesday's 1 p.m. deadline.

If you are looking at the futures market for an NFC contender, do not factor a magical Aiyuk comeback into your math. Shanahan has already publicly stated the reinstatement means absolutely nothing to the current NFC-leading squad, even with guys like Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel dealing with injuries.

The most likely outcome here is a quiet release once the trade deadline passes. Some mystery NFC team might take a flyer on him for the practice squad, but until he actually puts on a helmet and runs a route without his knee exploding or his contract voiding, Aiyuk is just a very expensive cautionary tale.