49ers' Brandon Aiyuk Posts Support for Commanders and Criticizes Team

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk posted an Instagram Story video on Sunday night in which he shouted, "Go Commanders! " The post also included a photo of former quarterback Mark Rypien holding the Lombardi Trophy after Washington won Super Bowl XXVI. Aiyuk has followed the Commanders and quarterback Jayden Daniels on Instagram.

He previously posted photos of himself wearing a Commanders hat. The 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract extension in August 2024. The team voided the remaining guaranteed money in his contract last July after he missed rehab sessions for a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee.

The 49ers placed him on the reserve/left team list in December after he stopped reporting to the facility. 49ers general manager John Lynch said in January that it was "safe to say that [Aiyuk] has played his last snap with the Niners," though the team has continued to seek a trade partner.

Aiyuk began posting public criticism of the 49ers in early June, calling the team "dumb" and "stupid" for continuing to pay him and suggesting they feared releasing him.

Sunday's video marks the latest in a series of social-media posts signaling his preferred destination. Before the knee injury, Aiyuk recorded 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023 and earned second-team All-Pro honors. 49ers tight end George Kittle said in a June 2026 interview: "I used to make it a habit of mine to go out early in the morning before meetings to watch him train because he'd always be out there early, and I watched him run over 22 miles an hour and watched him stop on a dime.

In the same interview, Kittle responded to a question about Aiyuk's potential happiness with the Commanders by saying, "You're right.