San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is still at the center of trade rumors, especially with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but an NFL Insider has made it clear.
“Aiyuk did not request a trade, as some have said,” Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk said on 93.7 The Fan on Thursday via Steelers Depot. “The notion that the Steelers have been the most aggressive is also not true. My understanding is that there was perhaps a phone call weeks ago, and the response was, ‘We’re not trading the guy.’ And that was it.”
Amid Aiyuk's desire for a larger contract and unfollowing the 49ers on social media, rumors grew into a trade request on April 13. Aiyuk’s agent, Ryan Williams, denied this on April 14. On the same day, Noah Strackbein of Sports Illustrated’s “All Steelers” reported that the Steelers “are in talks with the 49ers about an Aiyuk trade” via a team a source.
Despite that report, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that little has developed despite “receiver-needy teams” approaching the 49ers. Speaking on “NFL Total Access” on April 15, Rapoport said “the 49ers have not entertained any of those talks” but noted inquiries will “persist” until Aiyuk has a deal.
“I fully expect interested teams to re-engage as the draft approaches, especially with that report out there, I also believe there’s a chance that there’s been some conversation along the lines of, not that he’s asked for a trade, but looking for teams that might be interested in doing something,” Florio said on 93.7 The Fan.
Aiyuk has a fifth-year extension with the 49ers worth $14.12 million, which is less than his annual Spotrac market value of $24.9 million.
Brandon Aiyuk Linked With Steelers Before
Pittsburgh has been one of the most frequently mentioned teams in Aiyuk trade rumors this year, and his Mike Tomlin resemblance hasn't helped.
Andrew Fillipponi of The Fan 93.7 reported in March that the Steelers “have looked into” Aiyuk. Amid the report, people noted the resemblance between Aiyuk and Tomlin, the Steelers head coach. Aiyuk had fun with that on social media himself, which fueled the rumors even more.
“I wake up and they’re talking about another team that they got me [linked] to trade talks or whatever,” Aiyuk said during “The NightCap” podcast on March 28.
“So I just said let me — if everyone is saying this, and, this and that — let me go ahead and just put out one of my little spots. I reverted back to Tomlin, we can have a little bit of fun with it,” Aiyuk added. “It’s all in fun, like I said we’re all professionals, it is what it is. But that’s where the Tomlin stuff came from.”
Brandon Aiyuk: ‘I’m Trying to Get What I Deserve’
While Aiyuk can poke fun at a random resemblance, he’s most serious about getting paid as much as he can in 2024.
“I’m trying to get what I deserve,” Aiyuk said on the podcast. “I feel like this season, this season playing football, I figured out who I was as a person and a player, what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization. And just the value I hold when I walk in that building.”
“I believe people will follow me because I've consistently done things the right way since I've been in that building. From the first day I arrived there to this morning. I've always done things the right way,” Aiyuk added. “If they don't recognize the value in that [gestures walking with hands], that's all there is to it. There's nothing more to it. I can't elaborate. We have professionals working on both sides, so hopefully, we can reach a professional agreement and continue to play professional football.”
