Brandon Aiyuk’s situation with the San Francisco 49ers has turned into one of the NFL’s biggest pending decisions. The franchise wants to move on, and the receiver is looking for a fresh start as well. The only catch is that the 49ers aren’t willing to trade or release him because of the financial implications, which recently led Aiyuk to vent in a lengthy Instagram video, where he claimed the team is “scared” to let him go.

But that only prompted former offensive lineman and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth to rip into the receiver over his behavior.

“Here’s a little piece of advice for you. You are exactly where you are because of the shitty decisions that you’ve made,” Schlereth said on  ‘The Stinkin’ Truth Podcast.’ “You are not a victim. It is not anybody else’s fault. The San Francisco 49ers didn’t conspire against you to ruin your career. You are where you are because of your stupidity. Just admit it, embrace it, and move forward with it.”

The tension between Aiyuk and the 49ers has been building ever since he signed his lucrative contract extension ahead of the 2024 season. Since the fall of 2025, Aiyuk has had no contact with anyone in the 49ers front office. There has been a lot of chatter about him leaving the franchise. However, the complicated contract situation makes it tough for the team to release him.

While no real update has emerged, Aiyuk hopped onto his Instagram handle and accused the 49ers of being scared to let him go.

“The truth is, they scared,” Aiyuk said. “They know how I get. They gonna say, ‘Oh yes, BA did this, BA did that. BA did, you know, that s—.’ Allegedly. Allegedly. But what they’re not going to say is, ‘BA sucks at football’, because they know how I get. And they’re running from that belt that’s on the way.”

The 49ers indeed know Aiyuk can play at a high level, considering his back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons, especially in 2023, when he grabbed 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and scored 7 touchdowns. What they don’t know, however, is whether Aiyuk would be able to play at a similar level after coming from a career-threatening injury.

After signing his four-year, $120 million contract extension in 2024, Aiyuk went down with a torn ACL and MCL against the Kansas City Chiefs. Subsequently, he missed the rest of the season, followed by the 2025 season, where he did not take an offensive snap. The 49ers also decided to void more than $26 million in guaranteed money for 2026, considering his absence from team activities and rehabilitation requirements.

It has become evident that ever since suffering an injury in 2024, the relationship between Aiyuk and the 49ers has gone downhill. This is why both parties want to part ways. The 49ers’ general manager, John Lynch, has already said earlier this year that Aiyuk has “played his last snap with the Niners.” Still, that makes one wonder: Why is Brandon Aiyuk still in San Francisco despite the tension?

That is where his contract structure comes in. The 49ers have already placed Aiyuk on the Left Squad list, which means the team does not need to pay the receiver. However, the franchise doesn’t want to release him, considering the massive dead cap concerns. While a trade scenario is still possible, the team has been unable to find a suitor for a very specific reason.

On paper, Aiyuk has a base salary of just $1.2 million in 2026. However, the 26-year-old has an option bonus of $24.93 million that kicks in September, complicating things for San Francisco. To put it simply, if a team acquires Aiyuk and decides to exercise that option bonus, the money can be spread out through 2030. But spreading the bonus in future years would be trying to keep Aiyuk for the long term at a time when he hasn’t taken an offensive snap in almost two years.

At the same time, the other choice isn’t very appealing either. If a team chooses not to exercise its option bonus, almost the entire bonus amount would count against the salary cap immediately. Instead of carrying a salary of just $1.2 million, Aiyuk’s cap cost for 2026 would jump to more than $26 million.

That’s why, even though both sides appear to want a mutual split, the 49ers don’t seem likely to part ways with Aiyuk anytime soon. While the receiver has pushed his own narrative around the situation, Mark Schlereth took a shot at him, making it clear he doesn’t believe the franchise has conspired against him.

Mark Schlereth explains the 49ers’ rights to keep Brandon Aiyuk

After Mark Schlereth’s criticism of Brandon Aiyuk surfaced, a fan came to the receiver’s defense, pointing out that Aiyuk wants to move on, but the franchise isn’t willing to let him go. Schlereth, however, didn’t hold back with his response, explaining why the 49ers have no interest in releasing the receiver.

“This is the NFL… They have the rights to the player and they have invested money in him… They want compensation in return… so your thought is of a guy pouts, you should just let him go and get nothing in return… I don’t blame them for holding out and trying to get a draft pick,” the three-time Super Bowl champ wrote.

The 49ers are looking to get draft capital in exchange for Aiyuk. But the way things are shaping up, no team is looking to trade for Aiyuk, considering his contract situation. Per reports, the Washington Commanders have been paying close attention to Aiyuk’s situation, but with the financial complications around the deal, it is tough to execute a deal.

At the same time, Aiyuk has also seemingly cleared his stance on where he wants to play in 2026. He has shared multiple social media posts in the Commanders’ gear. On top of that, he recently unfollowed everyone from his Instagram handle except for three accounts, including his wife’s, the Commanders, and quarterback Jayden Daniels.