San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk didn’t feel like himself during his team’s season-opening 32-19 win over the New York Jets on Monday night, and it showed. After reviewing the game footage, Aiyuk opened up about his struggles, admitting it was a performance unlike anything he had ever experienced in his career.
“I didn’t watch the film until this morning,” Aiyuk said on Wednesday, as reported by The Athletic’s David Lombardi. “I was a little scared to watch it, but not as bad as I thought.”
In the game, Aiyuk managed only two catches for 28 yards, despite being targeted five times. A key missed opportunity came just before halftime when Aiyuk botched a catch in the end zone that should have been a touchdown. His mistake even caught the attention of Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who criticized Aiyuk’s missed training camp on his alternate ESPN broadcast of the game.
Aiyuk’s absence from training camp was due to contract negotiations that lasted throughout the summer. He eventually secured a four-year, $120 million extension with the 49ers late last month but didn’t return to practice until the week leading up to the season opener. Reflecting on the situation, Aiyuk acknowledged that his handling of the contract talks may have contributed to his struggles on the field.
“I made it a little bit more difficult than it needed to be,” Aiyuk admitted, revealing that he was close to being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers during the negotiations.
Aiyuk, 26, is coming off a career-best season in which he recorded 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 75 catches. It was his second consecutive 1,000-yard season, and he played a crucial role in helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl last year.
While Aiyuk didn’t specify what went wrong during Monday’s game, it’s likely that the rust from missing training camp contributed to his off-night. As he continues to get back into game shape, he’ll have the opportunity to bounce back on Sunday when the 49ers face the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis.
Given his track record, Aiyuk is expected to return to form soon, shaking off the rust and reclaiming his status as one of the team’s top offensive weapons.
Brandon Aiyuk said he didn't feel right in Monday's opener vs the Jets and that he'd never felt that way before. He obviously wasn't in top form.
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 11, 2024
"I didn't watch the film until this morning. I was a little scared to watch it, but not as bad as I thought."
Peyton Manning unloads on Brandon Aiyuk sitting out camp after that dropped TD pic.twitter.com/cZEbzZS6Vj
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) September 10, 2024
Brandon Aiyuk dropped what would’ve been a TD 😬
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 10, 2024
He has 14 YDS at the half pic.twitter.com/r2AILXAIS1