Brandon Aiyuk, the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver who has not played since tearing his knee against Kansas City in October 2024, has hired agent Drew Rosenhaus in an effort to revive a career he has spent much of the past year undermining.
Aiyuk, 28, signed with Rosenhaus on Monday. The move comes after a long stretch of conflict between the receiver and the organization based at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara County.
In July 2025, the 49ers voided roughly $27 million in contract guarantees after Aiyuk skipped mandatory team rehabilitation sessions. He then stopped reporting to the team altogether, and San Francisco placed him on the reserve/left squad and reserve/did not report lists.
Over the summer, Aiyuk aired his frustrations publicly on social media, pushed to force a release, and demanded a trade. He repeatedly signaled interest in joining former Arizona State teammate Jayden Daniels on the Washington Commanders.
Aiyuk’s off-field troubles extended beyond the locker room. In June 2026, he faced an arrest warrant after posting a video of himself driving 104 mph in a 40 mph zone near Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
The 49ers have shown no interest in reconciliation. General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan have indicated Aiyuk’s time in San Francisco is over. Asked in September 2026 whether injuries at wide receiver might prompt a reunion, Shanahan answered simply, “No.”
Washington has also closed off Aiyuk’s preferred landing spot, signing Stefon Diggs instead and ending any prospect of a pairing with Daniels.
Why Rosenhaus Now
Before San Francisco can trade or release Aiyuk, the league must formally reinstate him from his current roster designations. That bureaucratic step is where Rosenhaus, one of the NFL’s most recognized agents for representing players through contentious exits, now enters the picture.
Rosenhaus has a long history of managing players after they’ve damaged their standing with teams, including Terrell Owens during his public 2005 split from the Philadelphia Eagles, Antonio Brown through a series of chaotic departures, and briefly Johnny Manziel before ending that relationship over disagreements about rehab.
Aiyuk’s talent is not in dispute. He posted 1,342 receiving yards in 2023. But two full seasons removed from game action, combined with the missed rehab and the public fallout with the 49ers, have left him with far less leverage than his production once suggested. San Francisco currently holds his rights without any obligation to pay him. What happens next depends on whether Rosenhaus can persuade another team to take a chance on a receiver who has, by most accounts, done significant damage to his own market value.
