Kyle Shanahan couldn’t ‘care less’ about Brandon Aiyuk’s NFL reinstatement amid $13m 49ers dispute

Brandon Aiyuk has finally broken his silence. The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver hasn’t played a game since October 2024 , but is desperately trying to get reinstated into the NFL before the trade deadline. In his bid to do so, he arrived at the Niners practice facility with his agent Drew Rosenhaus on Friday, where he met with the team to begin negotiations that will see the two parties officially end their tumultuous relationship. Before heading into the meeting, which per ESPN lasted just shy of 90 minutes, Aiyuk made his first public statement to reporters since 2024. “I’m feeling great, feeling healthy ,” Aiyuk said. “It was a long recovery process, a long rehab process. “But I’m back to 100% and looking to get reinstated to the National Football League.” Reports emerged on Friday 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 had signed a four-year, $120 million extension with the Bay Area outfit in 2024 after a big 2023 campaign in which he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns which led to him being named a second-team All-Pro. But he suffered a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus less than two months later, having recorded only 25 catches for 374 yards in seven games under his new contract. Despite being cleared to return to football activities in 2025, the 28-year-old went AWOL which forced the Niners to put him on the left squad list in December – a move which also saw his 2026 guarantees voided . Should Aiyuk – who has since been at the center of a myriad of erratic online behavior , including calling out members of the Niners brass, and wearing the merchandise of their NFC rivals Washington Commanders – be reinstated back into the NFL, then he will remain under contract with the 49ers. But his agent Rosenhaus – who Aiyuk had hired after firing his former agent Ryan Williams during the contractual dispute with the Niners – remains optimistic that a deal can be struck that will bring an end to his time in the Bay area. “Obviously, Brandon is here to meet with the team,” Rosenhaus said. “Fortunately, he’s feeling good physically. He’s healthy. He’s ready to get back to work. “We don’t really have any comment about where he’s going to play. We’ll keep that between us and the Niners, but obviously, we are here with the right intentions.” Shanahan not involved in Aiyuk meeting The following three scenarios remain on the table for what happens once Aiyuk is reinstated: the Niners could release him, they could trade him before Tuesday’s deadline, or they could add him to the 53-man roster. However, it is not expected that Aiyuk will ever suit up for San Francisco ever again, with general manager John Lynch’s priority being to find a resolution to benefit all involved parties. “My job is to look out for the best interests of the 49ers, and as such, in this particular situation, we’re working with the NFL management council to navigate through kind of a different situation,” Lynch said to radio station KNBR on Thursday . “It’s fluid. I’m going to kind of leave it at that because I’ve been recommended to do so, and I think it’s the right thing to do. We’ll look for a pathway for both sides here that works.” One person who was not involved in the meeting with Aiyuk and his agent on Friday, though, was head coach Kyle Shanahan , with the pair’s bad blood very public . The 46-year-old who has made it very clear that he couldn’t “care less” and instead, wishes to dedicate his time to those players who are on his team and available to him. “It’s been over for our football team for a long time,” Shanahan said. “I don’t hear much except questions about it today. But it’s not too big of a deal for me to answer. “I think it’s complicated. I haven’t asked one question. I look at this as zero to do with our football team. Anything that has zero to do with our football team, especially during the season, I will give zero thoughts to.” The saga is almost over and the Niners will then be cleared to finally focus fully on the season, where they currently boast the joint-best win record in the NFC with a 6-1 record. As for Aiyuk’s future in the NFL, it’s anyone’s guess where he will end up, but clarity appears to be imminently on the horizon. 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.