Brandon Aiyuk contract: 49ers WR signs 4-year, $120 million extension to stay in San Francisco, according to report

Brandon Aiyuk isn’t going anywhere. After an offseason filled with uncertainty over the All-Pro wideout’s future in the Bay Area, Aiyuk has decided to remain with the San Francisco 49ers, signing a four-year contract extension worth $120 million, according to NFL Media. Aiyuk gets $76 million guaranteed with this new deal, and the contract is reportedly front-loaded. Aiyuk will receive $47 million between now and April 1, 2025, NFL Media reports.

Aiyuk’s new AAV is $30 million, which ranks fifth among NFL receivers. All four receivers above him on the highest-paid chart signed their extensions earlier this offseason — most recently Dallas Cowboys pass-catcher CeeDee Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million extension.

It’s a remarkable turn of events as it seemed like both sides might have reached a point of no return. With Aiyuk entering the final year of his contract after the Niners had already picked up his fifth-year option, the 26-year-old was at an impasse with the franchise in extension talks. Things got so bad that Aiyuk officially requested a trade and the 49ers heard multiple offers for him from teams across the league.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the team that was most linked to Aiyuk. NFL Media It was previously reported that the club had agreed on the parameters of a trade for the receiver with the 49ers and were in a good position regarding a long-term contract extension with Aiyuk. However, that report also stated that the Niners front office also sent a long-term contract offer in a last-ditch effort to keep Aiyuk, which proved successful. The Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots were also reportedly interested in Aiyuk.

Even when the situation was at its worst, there was always a glimmer of hope that a solution could be found. Last week, head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged a scenario where the team agrees 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 selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Arizona State. Since coming into the league, he has proven to be one of the most efficient receivers in the NFL, averaging above 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons while recording fewer than 80 receptions both times. Last year, Aiyuk caught a career-high 71.4% of his targets for 1,342 yards, earning him a second-team All-Pro nod.

Aiyuk rejoins a 49ers team that is ready to once again make a 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 lift the Lombardi Trophy at FanDuel Sportsbook this coming season. His return to an offense that also features 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.