Following months of dragged-out, well-documented contract negotiations, San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk looked rusty in Week 1. The outcome wasn't necessarily surprising, considering he didn't sign an extension and end his "hold-in" until late in the offseason. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old holds himself to a higher standard and doesn't seem thrilled about his performance against the New York Jets.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Aiyuk admitted he was afraid to review the tape from San Francisco's win over the Jets on "Monday Night Football."
"After the game, I didn’t watch the film until this morning," Aiyuk said. "I was a little bit scared to watch it ..."
Brandon Aiyuk dreaded watching the Week 1 game film after his ugly showing vs. the Jets
Eventually, Aiyuk finally mustered up the strength to sit down and examine his play versus the Jets. And upon doing so, the standout pass-catcher realized it wasn't "as bad as [he] thought."
When asked why he dreaded evaluating his efforts in San Fran's regular-season opener, Aiyuk confessed that something felt off, and understandably so.
Aiyuk was undoubtedly preparing for 2024 independently despite missing most of 49ers training camp. Nonetheless, it'shard to replicate live contact reps when you're not partaking in team activities. Moreover, building a rapport with your quarterback and the rest of the squad is equally as challenging from the sidelines.
Seconds before the end of the first half of the Niners' 32-19 victory against the Jets, Aiyuk made that abundantly clear. He dropped a perfectly placed pass that signal-caller Brock Purdy dropped right in the bucket and would've been a touchdown. Retired NFL gunslinger/Hall of Famer Peyton Manning torched the wideout for the egregious blunder, blaming it on a lack of camp participation.
Ultimately, the 49ers didn't need Aiyuk to be at the height of his powers to destroy the Jets. So, no harm, no foul -- right? The All-Pro Second Team receiver finished the contest with two receptions for 28 on five targets, though he only logged a 60 percent snap rate. Alas, there was potential for a much more prominent stat line if he hung onto the ball in the end zone.
Luckily for Aiyuk and the 49ers, the only way is up from now on.