Source: 49ers voided guaranteed money in Aiyuk deal for 2026 - ESPN

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has yet to return to the San Francisco 49ers after suffering a devastating right knee injury in October 2024. With six games left in the 2025 regular season, it's increasingly possible he won't play for them again.

During training camp, the 49ers voided the guaranteed money Aiyuk has in his contract for 2026 because he had not been meeting the requirements of that deal, a league source said Friday. The Athletic first reported the contract alteration, which includes an option bonus worth $24.935 million. That bonus originally became guaranteed on April 1 of this year and has now been voided.

Aiyuk is also scheduled to receive a $1.215 million base salary and has bonuses for workouts and per game appearances available as well. But it remains to be seen whether any of that will be paid out as the voiding of his 2026 guarantees clears the way for the Niners to part ways with him in the relatively near future.

For now, the question remains whether Aiyuk will play this season. He tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus in a Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 and has been rehabilitating through the offseason and into this season.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said during training camp the hope was Aiyuk would return to practice sometime around Week 7, but that still has not happened. On Monday, Shanahan said nothing has changed with Aiyuk's status.

«Brandon's just week-to-week,» Shanahan said. «When he had such a big injury like that, just waiting until he is fully comfortable to come up and start practicing.»

According to a source, Aiyuk has still not been cleared to return from a health standpoint. That, of course, does not mean the 49ers have been happy with how things have