Brandon Aiyuk Owes 49ers Roughly $13 Million in Bonus Forfeiture
Pelissero: NFLMC and NFLPA are involved as Aiyuk prepares to report Friday in a bid for his release
Brandon Aiyuk's push for a clean exit from San Francisco just got messier. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported Thursday that the veteran receiver owes the 49ers roughly $13 million in bonus forfeiture — a potential complication as he works to secure his release by reporting to the facility Friday.
Veteran WR Brandon Aiyuk owes the 49ers roughly $13 million in bonus forfeiture — a potential complication in his efforts to secure his release by reporting to the facility Friday. The NFL Management Council and the NFL Players Association are both involved in attempting to resolve the situation. The sides could reach an agreement to pay back the money, or it could go to arbitration. But it's complicated and may take time to resolve.View on X →
Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero): Veteran WR Brandon Aiyuk owes the 49ers roughly $13 million in bonus forfeiture — a potential complication in his efforts to secure his release by reporting to the facility Friday. The NFL Management Council and the NFL Players Association are both involved in attempting to resolve the situation. The sides could reach an agreement to pay back the money, or it could go to arbitration. But it's complicated and may take time to resolve.
The NFL Management Council and the NFL Players Association are both involved in trying to resolve it, Pelissero reported. The sides could agree on a payback plan, or the dispute could go to arbitration. Either way, he framed it as complicated and something that may take time to settle.
Aiyuk filed for reinstatement earlier this week with plans to report Friday afternoon after hiring Drew Rosenhaus. Once he reports off the reserve/left squad list, San Francisco has to keep him, trade him or cut him. Kyle Shanahan has already said he's moved on, making a reunion on the roster look unlikely.
That leaves a trade before Tuesday's Nov. 10 deadline or a release that would make Aiyuk a midseason free agent. The forfeiture sits on top of that timeline. San Francisco voided roughly $27 million in guarantees in July 2025 over missed rehab sessions and check-ins after Aiyuk tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee against the Chiefs on Oct. 20, 2024. He didn't report to camp this summer.
The 49ers are 6-1 atop the NFC West heading into Sunday's home game against the Raiders, but this is about money and process more than this week's depth chart. Until the sides sort out the $13 million, any path to a release is more tangled than a Friday walk-through.