49ers change classification of Brandon Aiyuk’s delayed comeback

SANTA CLARA — Brandon Aiyuk has officially left the 49ers’ building — and roster, likely forever.

Aiyuk’s stalled comeback from last season’s knee injury turned into such a vanishing act that the 49ers reclassified his status Saturday as “reserve/left squad.”

Aiyuk did not previously count against the 53-man roster with his reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list, and now the 49ers are announcing he’s not returning this season — nor essentially in the foreseeable future.

Although the 49ers voided $27 million in 2026 guarantees back in late July for reportedly violating terms of his knee rehabilitation, Aiyuk maintained a very visible presence during training camp and the first month of the season as he shadowed wide receivers’ warmups.

He vanished from the media’s sight once October arrived, although 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch stated that Aiyuk continued to show up for early-morning therapy sessions.

Aiyuk has not officially commented to the media since last season.

Teammates have expressed concern for Aiyuk and, in recent days, the tone shifted to a past-tense about his 49ers career, which began as a 2020 first-round draft pick and peaked with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2022 and ’23.

Aiyuk and the 49ers clashed throughout the 2024 offseason before he agreed to a four-year extension worth $30 million annually. His right knee’s ligaments and meniscus were torn in a devastating hit against the Kansas City Chiefs in October 2024.

“At this point, it doesn’t seem like he’s coming back. I try my best not to think about it,” tight end George Kittle said Thursday. “I love Brandon. He’s one of my best teammates I’ve played with. We have a lot of moments together from his rookie year (in 2020). Every year we have a ton of memories. That’s the Brandon I remember.

“I wish he was here. It kind of just makes me sad so I just push it to the side,” Kittle added. “Look, we have to make to due with what we have in the locker room, and the guys that want to be here are here.”

Jauan Jennings is the only 49ers wide receiver with a touchdown catch this season, and his five are tied for the team lead with Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey, the latter of whom surfaced on Saturday’s injury report with a back issue that has him questionable for Sunday’s game between the 49ers (9-4) and visiting Tennessee Titans (2-11).

Quarterback Brock Purdy, along with Kittle, praised how special Aiyuk was to the 49ers’ offense, when healthy.

“He did it all at receiver,” Purdy said Thursday. “So, he did a great job with that. And obviously I wish he was healthy to be able to be with us and play and roll, but like I said before, and I’ve said in the past, all the things off the field, that’s not my place to say anything. All I can say is I’d love to play with him and in the past we’ve had such great times together and so that’s all I can really say about it.”