Kyle Shanahan gives savage response as NFL officially reinstates Brandon Aiyuk to 49ers

Brandon Aiyuk finally received his wish — and Kyle Shanahan could not care less. The bad blood between Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers head coach continues to spill out in public. Shanahan again treated Aiyuk’s connection to the 49ers as a total non-story and refused to gave the wide receiver’s NFL reinstatement any extra time. “It means absolutely nothing to our team,” Shanahan said. “That’s all administrative stuff to me.” Aiyuk hasn’t played a game since October 2024 ,   yet the former NFL first-round draft pick was active in recent weeks attempting to be reinstated before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Aiyuk’s wish was granted when the 49ers added the wideout from the reserve/left squad list on Monday. San Francisco was given a two-week roster exemption, which provides the 49ers with a timeframe to make a final decision about Aiyuk’s status. If he’s on the roster after 4 pm ET on Tuesday, San Francisco will owe Aiyuk a game check. Reports emerged last week that Aiyuk would need to pay the Niners back the $13 million he had received in bonuses before the league would consider any reinstatement. Aiyuk was one of the most promising young wide receivers in the NFL from 2020-23, and he signed a four-year, $120 million extension with San Francisco in 2024. But the former Arizona State star tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee, then stopped showing up at the 49ers’ facility and was eventually placed on the reserve/left squad list. Aiyuk still contractually belongs to the 49ers, who control the football future of a fifth-year wideout who’s earned $62 million since entering the league in 2020. That reality led Aiyuk to hire veteran agent Drew Rosenhaus to represent him in the effort to return to the NFL. “Do you think he gets in the facility?” veteran 49ers tight end George Kittle said last week. By turning the question back on the media, Kittle made it clear that he’s not a big believer in Aiyuk’s future with San Francisco . “I plead the fifth,” Kittle said. The veteran tight end added: “You can ask (general manager) John (Lynch) or (coach) Kyle (Shanahan). Don’t ask me. I’m a conspiracy guy.” Without Aiyuk in 2026, San Francisco is 7-1 and tied with the Buffalo Bills for the best record in the NFL. Brock Purdy (NFL-leading 81.4 quarterback rating) is also playing the best ball of his career, while the 49ers’ offense ranks third in the league in average scoring (29.4). “He’s proven himself. He’s more than capable,” former NFL defender Efe Obada exclusively told talkSPORT on Inside the NFL . “A couple years in the league, he was one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He’s got the capabilities. But he’s been away from the game. So this is a business — it’s about production.” San Francisco is coming off a bye week filled with daily Aiyuk news, which was followed by a strong 38-17 win against Kirk Cousins and the Las Vegas Raiders. The 49ers will attempt to maintain their hold of the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed on Sunday when Shanahan and Purdy face Dak Prescott ‘s Dallas Cowboys . Sign up for talkSPORT Stateside , the YouTube channel dedicated to passionate US Sports fans. Will Gavin, Brian T. Smith, former NFL star Efe Obada and a collection of special guests debate the biggest talking points across the NFL, soccer, NBA and more.