SANTA CLARA — The Brandon Aiyuk story may have reached a turning point Wednesday.
Despite suggestions that this was the day Aiyuk would end his “reign,” nothing changed when the 49ers took to the practice field.
Now, this is when things can get really interesting.
General manager John Lynch explained that the expectation was for Aiyuk to practice because the 49ers’ medical staff cleared him to do so.
Earlier today, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that there was an “understanding” that Aiyuk would practice.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Aiyuk never told him he would be practicing, but said he was hoping Aiyuk would be on the field.
Now, it looks like the 49ers are ready to play hard.
Up until this point, everyone knew and understood that Aiyuk wouldn’t practice until his contract was resolved. Shanahan even played cheerleader, saying Aiyuk was “in pain.”
But the whole tone changed Wednesday, now that the 49ers have named their 53-man roster and are preparing to face the New York Jets in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL regular season.
Before practice on Wednesday, both Lynch and Shanahan said they would not address the default discipline situation if Aiyuk did not show up for practice later in the day.
Ayuk didn’t show up, so it’s no longer hypothetical.
Aiyuk’s agent, Ryan Williams, did not immediately respond to NBC Sports Bay Area’s request for comment on why Aiyuk missed practice.
Aiyuk was seen regularly at practice this summer, watching games from the sidelines or going viral for his slaps at Lynch and Shanahan.
Before Aiyuk officially missed practice on Wednesday, Lynch suggested the relationship between the team and the player was still salvageable.
“I’ve seen things like this look bleak before, and things can be forgotten quickly,” Lynch said.
All it takes is a new contract that satisfies both parties. And it seems the two sides are headed in opposite directions at this point.
Aiyuk remains under contract with the 49ers through next season in a deal that is set to pay him $14.124 million on a fifth-year option.
After a strong season in 2023, Aiyuk clearly feels now is the time to cash in on a multi-year contract.
When negotiations for a new contract stalled during the offseason, Aiyuk requested a trade. The 49ers gave Aiyuk permission to talk to at least four teams — the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders — about negotiating a contract.
The 49ers appear to be working on parallel tracks to talk about a trade with teams while also continuing to keep the door open on a multi-year extension with Aiyuk.
The 49ers clearly believe Aiyuk has enough information to be able to make a decision on his next move.
“At some point, you have to play,” Lynch said Wednesday.
The way things are going, that may not be a clear statement.
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