Brandon Aiyuk’s strange plan to court the Washington Commanders took a puzzling turn over the weekend, as the disgruntled San Francisco 49ers pass-catcher appeared to slight Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels on social media.
Aiyuk, who is still under contract with San Francisco, has openly urged Washington to add him through a series of bizarre videos posted to social media. Previous entries featured the 2023 All-Pro handling a Commanders-branded football, emptying a bag of cash into his closet and dancing, with a caption manifesting that the Commanders would sign him in the near future.
Aiyuk and Daniels were teammates at Arizona State and have described each other as best friends in the past.
But Aiyuk appeared to sour on the Commanders — at least temporarily — on Saturday.
“[No.] 5 gonna text me talking about some, ‘You on my team now. You follow my rules.’ Boy, I’m a grown a— man,” Aiyuk said on social media, referring to Daniels by his jersey number. “You gonna have to stop running behind your momma and I might believe what you’re talking about.”
Daniels has a famously close relationship with his mother, Regina Jackson. The pair have appeared in commercials together, and Jackson became a certified agent to help advise Daniels.
Daniels posted a photo of NBA All-Star Kevin Durant, a Commanders fan, giving two thumbs down after Aiyuk’s post.
Any resentment appeared to dissipate before the Independence Day fireworks wrapped up.
Aiyuk addressed Daniels in a follow-up on Saturday evening.
“Let’s run it [No.] 5! Let’s see! Need you available all szn and I’ll do the same,” Aiyuk wrote on top of a photo that showed the receiver holding up cleats.
The 49ers placed Aiyuk on the “Reserve/Left Squad” list at the end of last season after the pass-catcher stopped reporting to the team facility due to a dispute over his injury recovery and contract guarantees.
It is widely believed across the NFL landscape that Aiyuk has played his last game in San Francisco, but the next steps remain up in the air. The 28-year-old is under contract through the 2028 season after signing a four-year, $120 million deal in 2024.
“Eventually, it will resolve itself,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said of the situation in March. “Hopefully, we get something for it.”
The 49ers have opted against releasing Aiyuk and allowing him to become a free agent. San Francisco would face a $34.6 million dead cap hit if they cut the former All-Pro, according to Spotrac. If the 49ers find a trade partner, they could share the financial strain.
The Commanders have long been considered a favorite to land Aiyuk via trade or free agency if he is released. Washington general manager Adam Peters was part of the front office that drafted the Arizona State product to San Francisco in the first round of the 2020 draft.
Aiyuk hasn’t played an NFL snap since October 2024 due to a knee injury and the dispute with the 49ers. The Arizona State product has caught 294 passes for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns in San Francisco. During his last two full seasons — the 2022 and 2023 campaigns — Aiyuk recorded a combined 153 receptions with 2,375 yards.
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