As the clock counted down to the start of Sunday’s games, the football world was abuzz with news from Jay Glazer of Fox Sports. Glazer reported that the San Francisco 49ers were on the verge of trading star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, just before the deal was finalized, Aiyuk made a last-minute appearance at the team’s facility in an attempt to negotiate a new contract.
According to Glazer’s account, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan quickly intervened, rushing upstairs to halt the trade talks. Ultimately, Aiyuk and the team were able to come to terms on a new contract within a couple of hours. Following the 49ers’ 32-19 victory over the New York Jets on Monday night, Shanahan acknowledged the accuracy of Glazer’s report.
“It was that I wanted to make sure he wasn’t traded already,” Shanahan told reporters via 49ersWebzone.com. “But no, that’s how I kind of reported you guys throughout the whole time. You guys would ask me stuff about it, and I say, ‘Anything could happen.’ There were reports that we almost traded with some teams, and then we didn’t. Some were true, some weren’t, but all options were open.”
Despite the contract negotiations looming over him, Aiyuk managed to stay focused during Monday night’s game. He was targeted five times, with one pass coming in the end zone that he was unable to secure while diving. Aiyuk finished the game with two receptions for 28 yards.
Shanahan expressed relief that the team had exhibited patience throughout the process, leading to a successful resolution. However, it appeared that any further delays could have resulted in Aiyuk donning the black and gold of the Steelers, rather than the red and gold of the 49ers. The drama surrounding Aiyuk’s potential trade served as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the NFL and the tumultuous negotiations that can take place behind the scenes.