Jun 24, 2026, 05:02 PM ETOpen Extended Reactions
Brandon Aiyuk continued his push to become a member of the Washington Commanders on Wednesday, saying in a video posted to Instagram that if the San Francisco 49ers release him, he will sign with Washington “tomorrow.”
Two days after posting a video to Instagram where he shouted, "Go Commanders," the wide receiver posted two more videos Wednesday.
In the first, he holds an NFL football that has a Commanders logo. A graphic on the video says, "The best sport in the world. The best league in the world [and] the best team in the world." The next part of his Story includes a picture with a graphic that says, "And I almost forgot.. The best WR in the world." He then makes a proclamation about his intentions in the second Commanders-related video.
"And if I'm crazy or if I'm cappin', tell them boys cut me today. And I'll sign with the Commanders tomorrow."
It's unclear whether the Commanders would have interest in signing Aiyuk, and because he's still under contract with the 49ers, they can't publicly express interest in the wide receiver without violating the NFL's tampering rules.
San Francisco general manager John Lynch said in January that it was "safe to say that [Aiyuk] has played his last snap with the Niners." However, the team has held onto him in the hope that it could find a trade partner.
Veterans on the 49ers are scheduled to report to training camp July 25. It's possible the 49ers are waiting until then to make a decision on Aiyuk's status with the team.
While he is stuck in limbo, Aiyuk has been voicing his frustration toward the 49ers via social media. In early June, Aiyuk began to speak out publicly for the first time. In a pair of videos posted to Instagram, he called the 49ers "dumb" and "stupid" for paying him and suggested that the team was scared to release him because of how he might play for another team.
This week's videos aren't the first time that Aiyuk has hinted at his desire to play for the Commanders and reunite with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his close friend and former teammate at Arizona State. He had previously posted photos of himself in a Commanders hat. Daniels and the Commanders are among the five accounts he is following on Instagram.
The 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million contract extension in August 2024. However, San Francisco and Aiyuk have been at odds for almost a year with the situation escalating last July when the 49ers voided the remaining guaranteed money in his contract because he did not participate in rehab sessions for the torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee that he suffered during the 2024 season. The Niners then put Aiyuk on the reserve/left team list in December after Aiyuk stopped showing up at the team facility.
Before his knee injury, Aiyuk had emerged as one of the league's most productive wideouts. He had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on his way to second-team All-Pro honors in 2023.
ESPN's Nick Wagoner contributed to this report.
