Brandon Aiyuk’s Near Trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers

In a surprising turn of events, Brandon Aiyuk is set to play for the San Francisco 49ers in their upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This decision comes after a prolonged offseason standoff that involved numerous trade rumors.

Reports from mid-August indicated that an agreement was imminent between the 49ers and the Steelers for Aiyuk’s trade. However, just days later, Aiyuk signed a substantial contract extension with the 49ers, reportedly worth up to $120 million. Despite the trade discussions, it appears Aiyuk was on the brink of joining the Steelers.

According to FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer, on the day Aiyuk’s contract extension was finalized, a trade to the Steelers was almost completed. A chance encounter with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan helped change the course of events. Glazer recounted that Aiyuk showed up early to the facility that day and sought a meeting with Shanahan.

In an almost serendipitous manner, Shanahan tried to contact the front office to halt the trade talks, but his calls were not answered as they were busy finalizing the deal with Pittsburgh. Determined to rectify the situation, Shanahan ran upstairs to communicate his decision to pause the negotiations. This allowed for a lengthy discussion with Aiyuk.

The 49ers informed Aiyuk that he had until the end of practice to decide whether to accept the trade to Pittsburgh or to take the deal on the table from the 49ers. Ultimately, Aiyuk opted to remain in San Francisco, expressing a desire to continue his career with the team where he has been successful.

Aiyuk’s performance has been remarkable, coming off a career year with 1,342 receiving yards and a Super Bowl appearance in the previous season. His decision to stay in the Bay Area suggests his commitment to contributing significantly to the 49ers’ offense in the upcoming season.