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Every offseason, between the end of OTAs and the start of training camp, it seems the NFL has a story that won't just go away. This summer, that story revolves around San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and his desire to play for the Washington Commanders.
Aiyuk had mostly remained silent about the 49ers voiding the guarantees on his 2026 contract after he stayed away from the team during his rehab. Over the past several weeks, Aiyuk has broken that silence, using Instagram to air his grievances with the 49ers.
Aiyuk didn't just come out and explain his side of the story with San Francisco. Not even close. Instead, he called them stupid, among other things. On multiple occasions, he's either worn Commanders' gear, held a Washington football, said "Go Commanders," or flat-out told everyone he plans to sign with Washington once the 49ers release him.
It's uncertain how the Commanders feel about this situation since they haven't — and can't — discuss Aiyuk. As for Aiyuk, he wants to play for Washington, where his close friend, quarterback Jayden Daniels, is. Commanders GM Adam Peters also has ties to Aiyuk from their shared time in San Francisco.
Aiyuk doesn't have much support on how he's handled this situation. It's bizarre and unprecedented.
Yet another former NFL standout has weighed in on Aiyuk, and he thinks the Commanders would be crazy to sign Aiyuk.
"I don’t give a damn if he shared a womb with Jayden Daniels," former Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward said recently on the "Speakeasy" podcast.
"You ain’t coming over here, and that’s just 100. If I’m the GM, you could have come out, you know, the same thing, and I’m not bringing you over here. That's just what it is. Look at you, bro, you’re acting a fool. You doing all this, you were driving past the stadium, about to get reckless driving. You’re throwing money around. You talking bad about the 49ers. These owners are a club. I don’t care if there are 32 different teams; that’s a club in itself. We 32 billionaire owners. We mob, and we move as one."
The Commanders could use more help at receiver. Perhaps at one point this offseason, Aiyuk was the plan once he got released. But does some of his recent behavior cause some concern? Daniels will vouch for Aiyuk. Even Peters probably has his doubts now, as he still has close ties to 49ers GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. He's likely heard each side's perspective.
Several former NFL players disagree with how Aiyuk has handled himself. Would that be the same inside of Washington's locker room? The Commanders had a drama-free offseason. Would head coach Dan Quinn have some hesitation about bringing in Aiyuk? Possibly, and he should be concerned. One of Quinn's strengths, though, is his ability to relate to every player on the roster. Maybe he's the right coach to take on Aiyuk.
Once the 49ers finally release Aiyuk, the Commanders will have a difficult decision to make. Aiyuk will be free and clear to sign. While it's entirely possible that all of Aiyuk's antics were just a show to anger the 49ers enough to release him now, there were better ways to handle this situation.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Former Pro Bowler thinks Commanders would be crazy to sign Brandon Aiyuk
Continue reading...
Aiyuk had mostly remained silent about the 49ers voiding the guarantees on his 2026 contract after he stayed away from the team during his rehab. Over the past several weeks, Aiyuk has broken that silence, using Instagram to air his grievances with the 49ers.
Aiyuk didn't just come out and explain his side of the story with San Francisco. Not even close. Instead, he called them stupid, among other things. On multiple occasions, he's either worn Commanders' gear, held a Washington football, said "Go Commanders," or flat-out told everyone he plans to sign with Washington once the 49ers release him.
It's uncertain how the Commanders feel about this situation since they haven't — and can't — discuss Aiyuk. As for Aiyuk, he wants to play for Washington, where his close friend, quarterback Jayden Daniels, is. Commanders GM Adam Peters also has ties to Aiyuk from their shared time in San Francisco.
Aiyuk doesn't have much support on how he's handled this situation. It's bizarre and unprecedented.
Yet another former NFL standout has weighed in on Aiyuk, and he thinks the Commanders would be crazy to sign Aiyuk.
"I don’t give a damn if he shared a womb with Jayden Daniels," former Pro Bowl safety T.J. Ward said recently on the "Speakeasy" podcast.
"You ain’t coming over here, and that’s just 100. If I’m the GM, you could have come out, you know, the same thing, and I’m not bringing you over here. That's just what it is. Look at you, bro, you’re acting a fool. You doing all this, you were driving past the stadium, about to get reckless driving. You’re throwing money around. You talking bad about the 49ers. These owners are a club. I don’t care if there are 32 different teams; that’s a club in itself. We 32 billionaire owners. We mob, and we move as one."
The Commanders could use more help at receiver. Perhaps at one point this offseason, Aiyuk was the plan once he got released. But does some of his recent behavior cause some concern? Daniels will vouch for Aiyuk. Even Peters probably has his doubts now, as he still has close ties to 49ers GM John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. He's likely heard each side's perspective.
Several former NFL players disagree with how Aiyuk has handled himself. Would that be the same inside of Washington's locker room? The Commanders had a drama-free offseason. Would head coach Dan Quinn have some hesitation about bringing in Aiyuk? Possibly, and he should be concerned. One of Quinn's strengths, though, is his ability to relate to every player on the roster. Maybe he's the right coach to take on Aiyuk.
Once the 49ers finally release Aiyuk, the Commanders will have a difficult decision to make. Aiyuk will be free and clear to sign. While it's entirely possible that all of Aiyuk's antics were just a show to anger the 49ers enough to release him now, there were better ways to handle this situation.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Former Pro Bowler thinks Commanders would be crazy to sign Brandon Aiyuk
Continue reading...
