Aiyuk saga finally ends with long-term extension with 49ers

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Aiyuk saga finally ends with long-term contract extension with 49ers

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Aug 30, 2024 8:47 AM ET

After months of speculation, rumors, reports of trade agreements and updates on whether or not he was standing around at San Francisco 49ers practice, the Brandon Aiyuk saga has finally, mercifully come to an end.

The ending puts everybody right back where they started with the star wide receiver remaining in San Francisco.

The team and Aiyuk reportedly agreed to a new four-year contract extension on Thursday worth $120M.

Brandon Aiyuk’s extension is four year, $120 million. https://t.co/WsNjA5w9nB
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 29, 2024

Perhaps the most eye-opening part of this development is that according to ESPN's Adam Schefter it is the same contract the 49ers offered Aiyuk nearly three weeks ago, meaning his hold-in did not really get him any additional money from the 49ers' original offer.

In the end, Brandon Aiyuk accepted the same deal that has been on the table since August. 10, per league sources. His hold-in did not alter any part of his new four-year, $120 million extension. He took the same deal that had been there for the past three weeks. Hold-in over. pic.twitter.com/kla7S7O406
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 29, 2024

Aiyuk's offseason included a hold-in, a trade request and rumored deals with Cleveland, New England and Pittsburgh.

The only thing that matters now for the 49ers is that one of their best players is remaining in place for several more runs at a Super Bowl. As likely as a trade may have seemed at times, there is no way the 49ers actually wanted to go through with that unless it was a last resort and they were out of other options.

They are a better team with him, and there is no way they were going to get a trade that was going to improve their roster without him.

Now they do not have to worry about that for a while.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

More must-reads: