Kyle Shanahan has had enough of Brandon Aiyuk amid endless trade drama

In January, the San Francisco 49ers stormed back from a 24-7 deficit in the NFC Championship Game and punched their ticket to Super Bowl LVIII.

At the time, the team couldn't have been happier with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. He scored the team's lone receiving touchdown and made a miraculous 51-yard catch in the third quarter that helped spark the team's eventual comeback.

But everything has been downhill since then. San Francisco lost the Super Bowl due to a special teams blunder and some questionable coaching decisions in overtime, and Aiyuk immediately turned his attention toward a contract extension. The expectation was that the 49ers would find a way to sign Aiyuk to a long-term contract by training camp, but the deal never came. Now, with the start of the 2024 regular season inching closer, optimism for a new deal has waned.

Kyle Shanahan has reportedly grown 'bothered' with Brandon Aiyuk

The 49ers now seem to be on the verge of trading Aiyuk to the highest bidder, and it seems that all parties involved are ready for the saga to be over. According to Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has become bothered by Aiyuk's behavior, from his "conspicuous bro hugs" to his "perceived brooding."

Although Aiyuk has reported to training camp in order to avoid being subjected to daily $50,000 fines, he has not participating in practice. Aiyuk has attended team meetings, but he has typically watched practice alongside general manager John Lynch on the sidelines.

The 49ers have reportedly received trade interest from the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. The Patriots seem to have fallen out of contention for Aiyuk despite reportedly offering him an annual average salary of $32 million. At this point, it appears the Steelers are the most likely destination. Aiyuk previously named Pittsburgh as a potential team he would be interested in playing for if he was traded.

The 26-year-old wideout had improved each season since he was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he emerged as the team's top receiving option in 2023. Aiyuk earned a second-team All-Pro selection after notching 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season.