SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brandon Aiyuk’s long contract dispute with the San Francisco 49ers came to an end Thursday when the star receiver agreed on a four-year, $120 million contract extension to stay with the team.
Two people familiar with the deal said the sides came to the agreement after Aiyuk missed his second straight practice despite being cleared by team doctors to participate. They spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced.
Aiyuk will get $76 million in guarantees, according to one of the sources. NFL Network first reported the agreement.
Aiyuk had refused to practice all offseason as part of a contract “hold in” with the team, saying he had a back injury. Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch said he was cleared by doctors before practice Wednesday, but Aiyuk still didn’t join, risking possible fines.
Aiyuk had requested a trade earlier in the summer, but no team that Aiyuk wanted to go to was willing to give the Niners what they wanted and pay him the salary he sought.
But that was all settled when Aiyuk and the 49ers came to an agreement 11 days before the Sept. 9 season opener against the New York Jets.
That leaves the 49ers with one remaining prominent hold out with All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams still staying away from the team as he seeks a new deal.
Aiyuk had been set to play on the fifth-year option worth about $14.1 million this season but now becomes the latest receiver to cash in with a long-term deal.
Eleven receivers before Aiyuk signed contracts worth at least $70 million this offseason, with Justin Jefferson’s four-year, $140 million extension with the Minnesota Vikings setting the top of the market. Aiyuk is the sixth receiver with an average annual contract of at least $30 million.
Aiyuk was a key part of the 49ers offense last season as he formed a great connection with quarterback Brock Purdy. Aiyuk had 75 catches and a career-high 1,375 yards with seven touchdowns as he earned second-team All-Pro honors.
He put up those numbers on an offense that passed at the second-lowest rate in the NFL and had several other star playmakers such as Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey.
Aiyuk’s 12.8 average yards receiving per target were the highest mark for any player with at least 75 targets in a season since Jordy Nelson averaged 13.2 for the Green Bay Packers in 2011.
Purdy’s 120.5 passer rating when targeting Aiyuk ranks the best of any QB-pass catcher combination with at least 125 attempts over the last two seasons, according to Sportradar.
Aiyuk has 269 catches for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in four seasons since being drafted at No. 25 in 2020 but has taken off since Purdy became quarterback, with eight of his 11 100-yard receiving games in his career coming with Purdy as starter.
The Niners have done a good job rewarding their homegrown stars, handing out megadeals to Kittle, Fred Warner, Samuel, Nick Bosa and now Aiyuk since 2020.
But the past two proved particularly tough with Bosa not signing his deal until a few days before the opener last season.
Williams, 36, is owed $20.05 million this season under the six-year, $138.1 million deal he signed in 2021.
Williams’ average annual value of just over $23 million has been surpassed by five offensive linemen since he became the richest player at the position when he signed the deal. Tristan Wirfs, Penei Sewell and Christian Darrisaw all got deals this offseason worth at least $26 million per year.
“Everyone knows Trent is a captain, a Hall of Famer, the big dog of the team,” cornerback Charvarius Ward said. “Damn near everybody is scared of him. We miss him a little bit, but like I said, somebody has to step up to be a captain to replace what’s missing with those guys not here.”
AP reporter Rob Maaddi contributed.
