Jerry Rice offers Brandon Aiyuk advice amid 49ers contract talks

As the clock continues to tick, it seems increasingly less likely that Brandon Aiyuk will get the contract he wants from the San Francisco 49ers.

While most pass catchers across the league have happily inked deals during a record-setting offseason for wide receivers, Aiyuk remains gridlocked in negotiations with the Niners. There have been a wide variety of potential outcomes floated over the past several months. The wide receiver was expected to be traded before the 2024 NFL Draft. After the draft came and went, he was expected to be signed to a long-term deal. When Aiyuk expressed unhappiness through social media, the trade rumors picked up steam once again.

While Aiyuk has flirted with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders, the wideout has made it clear that he would prefer to return to the 49ers. San Francisco's leadership has expressed the same sentiment, but they seem unwilling to meet Aiyuk's contract demands.

Jerry Rice offers his opinion on Brandon Aiyuk's contract talks with 49ers

Niners legend Jerry Rice, widely considered to be the greatest wide receiver in NFL history, shared his advice for Aiyuk on Wednesday during the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.

“I think his main focus right now, Brandon Aiyuk, is just to play football,” Rice said. “Play football and just let his ability speak for itself, and we'll see what happens after the season. That's in his control. That's what you want.”

“I think he would love to have had that security already, and he wouldn't have to really think about it and he can just go play football,” Rice said. “But he still has an opportunity where he can just showcase his ability.

Aiyuk was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he is currently set to enter the 2024 season on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. Although he would be a free agent after the 2024 season, the 49ers would still be able to use the franchise tag designation to reserve his rights on another one-year deal.

“I think the main thing for him right now, he's just got to play his best football. He’s got to show everybody that, ‘Hey, look, I'm that No. 1 guy. And if you, make me that No. 1 guy, I’m going to be productive.'"

Aiyuk emerged as the team's top wide receiver in 2023, displacing wideout Deebo Samuel for the spot. He earned second-team All-Pro honors after finishing with 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.

Ed McCaffrey, father of 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, shared his opinion on Aiyuk's contract negotiations as well. McCaffrey, who has a close relationship with general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, recently mentioned that Aiyuk doesn't have much leverage in the negotiations, noting that all he can do is miss games and not get paid. Still, McCaffrey believes Aiyuk will get a deal done before the regular season — it just may not be for the amount of money he wants.

“Trying to step back and be objective, he doesn’t have a whole lot of leverage," McCaffrey said. “You know, he can just miss games and not get paid. I think it'll work out because he wants to be on the team and they want him to be on the team. They can't wait for him to sign and get on the field, but it's probably not going to happen tomorrow. I do anticipate it should happen before the first game." 

Keeping Aiyuk around would be a wise move for San Francisco, even if it means having to move on from Samuel. Aiyuk has displayed a budding chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy, and removing Aiyuk from the lineup could disrupt Purdy's development.