Getty Image / Steph Chambers
One of the biggest storylines of NFL training camp and preseason heading into the 2024 season was the contract situation of San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The fifth-year pass-catcher was “holding in” during 49ers training camp as he was looking for a big new contract instead of playing on his fifth-year option this year.
The team and Aiyuk finally agreed to a new deal on Thursday, a week before the NFL season kicks off and ten days before the 49ers first game on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets. But, when we learned the details of the contract, it turned out the entire holdout was a huge waste of time.
NFL Insider Adam Schefter revealed that the contract Brandon Aiyuk ended up signing was the same contract that Aiyuk had been turning down all training camp..
‘In the end, Brandon Aiyuk accepted the same deal that has been on the table since August. 12, per league sources. His hold-in did not alter any part of his new four-year, $120 million extension. He took the same deal that had been there in previous weeks. Hold-in over,” Schefter said on Twitter.
So, essentially, Brandon Aiyuk led the entire league on in a wild goose chase to possibly make a trade for him, only for him to take the same deal of 4 years, $120 million, with $78 million guaranteed that he could’ve gotten all along.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were especially strung along, as they had pursued a trade for Aiyuk for weeks to bolster their passing game. Now, they’re stuck with Van Jefferson as their WR2, which is not where a team wants them to be.
That being said, it’s a good deal for Aiyuk altogether, and at 26 he could get another huge payday later on in his career.