Brandon Aiyuk is going nowhere. After an offseason filled with uncertainty surrounding the All-Pro wideout's future, Aiyuk has decided to remain with the San Francisco 49ers by signing a four-year contract extension, the franchise announced Friday. CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones reports his new contract is worth $120 million. Aiyuk receives $76 million guaranteed with this new deal, and the contract is reportedly front-loaded. NFL Media reports Aiyuk will receive a whopping $47 million between now and April 1, 2025.
Aiyuk's new AAV of $30 million is tied for fifth among NFL receivers. All four receivers above him on the highest-paid chart signed their extensions earlier this offseason -- the most recent being Dallas Cowboys pass-catcher CeeDee Lamb, who put pen to paper on a four-year extension worth $136 million.
"We were thrilled to draft Brandon in 2020 and are now equally excited to have him in the fold for years to come," said 49ers general manager John Lynch in a statement. "Brandon is a special talent who is a warrior on the field and plays with a passion that we look for in 49ers. We look forward to Brandon continuing to be part of what we strive to accomplish as an organization."
This is a rather remarkable turn of events as it felt like the two sides may have reached the point of no return. With Aiyuk entering the final year of his contract after the Niners previously picked up his fifth-year option, the 26-year-old was deadlocked with the franchise in extension negotiations. Things even devolved so much that it led to Aiyuk officially requesting a trade and the 49ers did listen to multiple offers for him from teams across the league.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were the team most closely linked to Aiyuk. NFL Media previously reported that the club had agreed to the parameters of a trade for the receiver with the 49ers and were in a good place in regards to a long-term contract extension with Aiyuk. However, that report also came with the nugget that the Niners front office also sent Aiyuk a long-term contract offer in a last-ditch effort to retain him, which proved to be successful. Aiyuk also reportedly had interest from the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
Even when the situation was at its most dire, there did always appear to be a glimmer of hope that a resolution could be found. Last week, head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged a scenario where the team does agree with Aiyuk on a long-term deal, saying, "There's a scenario for anything, so I don't want to rule anything out."
Aiyuk has spent his entire career with the 49ers after the organization drafted him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Arizona State. Since coming into the league, he's proven to be one of the most efficient receivers in the NFL, topping 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons while recording less than 80 receptions both times. Last year, Aiyuk caught a career-high 71.4% of his targets for 1,342 yards receiving leading to a second-team All-Pro nod.
Aiyuk rejoins a 49ers team that is ready to once again push for the Super Bowl title that has eluded them in recent years. His team is tied with the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs for the best odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy this coming season at FanDuel Sportsbook. His return to an offense that also boasts fellow receiver Deebo Samuel, tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey should again make them a formidable unit and one of the most feared offenses in the NFL.
