San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had a quiet showing in the team's 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII. Since then, the chatter surrounding his future has been very loud.
The 25-year-old is heading into the final year of his rookie contract since the 49ers picked up his fifth-year option last April. On Tuesday, he spoke to reporters in the 49ers' locker room. He is clearly emotional and covers his eyes with sunglasses, and admitted that the loss was the hardest defeat of his career. But he remained vague about where he hopes his career will take him next.
“If it's the right move, then yes,” he said when asked if he wanted to stay in San Francisco. Asked later what the right move would look like, he said: “Being a champion.”
He turned to face his locker and said, “That's all I got,” when a question about his journey with the team nearly brought him to tears.
Aiyuk scored three catches on six targets for 49 yards in Sunday's loss, a departure from the performance that saw his miracle catch spark San Francisco's comeback against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game.
Aiyuk is a potential trade candidate if he and the team can't agree on a long-term extension, and social media posts from the wideout and his inner circle after the Super Bowl suggest negotiations may not be easy.
On the Monday after the loss, Aiyuk posted a black Instagram story titled “Don't forget what got you there” with eye emojis.
Earlier that day, his girlfriend, Rochelle Seawright, posted a video on TikTok implying that Aiyuk's days with the 49ers were numbered.
“This may be the last day we set foot in Levi’s Stadium, because we may not be here next season,” she said in the video. He was picking up Aiyuk after the Super Bowl.
Even Aiyuk's friend and former teammate, Draysean Hudson, made public comments about Aiyuk's future in a series of Instagram Stories.
“This is the same reason we left San Francisco,” Hudson wrote. “Thank you 49ers for drafting my brother, we are forever grateful. Bachelor to Vegas.”
Hudson went on to post a video of 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy getting pressured by Chiefs tackle Chris Jones and throwing an incompletion while Aiyuk was wide open for a touchdown.
“Why does a 1,300-yard All-Pro receiver have 3 scores in the Super Bowl,” Hudson added with a pair of eyeball emojis.
Aiyuk entered the league when the 49ers drafted him with the 25th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Arizona State. He has posted four strong seasons with the team since then, recording 3,931 total yards and 25 touchdowns in his career. This season, he has 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were asked about Aiyuk during their season-ending news conference on Tuesday.
“Of course you want a guy like Brandon Aiyuk to be a part of you moving forward,” Lynch said. “We are very proud of what he has become and should be.”
Lynch added that the team has a lot to prioritize in the battle against the salary cap this season.
“The more good players you have, the more difficult the decisions you have to make. Brandon has been a great player for us, Kyle,” he said. [Shanahan] He's called a warrior all the time because of the way he goes out and competes. This shines through anyone whether you're a coach or you're a fan. You can see the passion with which he plays.”
