SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk met with the San Francisco 49ers on Friday as he tries to return to the NFL, a day after the league notified him that he must pay the club back about $13 million in bonus money.
The league sent its letter Thursday to Aiyuk and the NFL Players Association. The money traces to the bonuses tied to the four-year, $120 million extension he signed in 2024, a deal that included a $23 million signing bonus. The league’s management council and the players union are both working on the dispute, which could be settled or sent to arbitration.
Aiyuk arrived with his new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, for a session at the team’s business offices near Levi’s Stadium that lasted roughly an hour. He said afterward that he is fully healthy after a long rehab and wants to be reinstated. Rosenhaus declined to give details of the talks.
The 49ers receiver has not appeared in a game since a knee injury in October 2024 and landed on the reserve/left squad list when he walked away from the club late last season. As of Friday, the league had not yet reinstated him. Rosenhaus has said the reinstatement request was filed on Oct. 27.
Once he is reinstated, Aiyuk stays under contract with San Francisco, which would then have to decide whether to keep him on the active roster or let him go. General manager John Lynch said Thursday the team is working with the management council on what he called an unusual situation. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday he had no part in the meeting and has moved on.
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