It appears that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has increased his efforts to get paid by the 49ers, as seen by his unfollowing of the organization on social media.
As he approaches the fifth year of his rookie contract, Aiyuk, who led the team with a career-best 1,342 receiving yards the previous season, is looking to sign a long-term deal with San Francisco.
And this week, as NFL Network’s Clayton Holloway observed, he unfollowed the 49ers’ official Instagram account, intensifying the standoff.
Aiyuk spoke candidly last month about his contract negotiations with the team, which was defeated by the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVIII in February.
‘I’m trying to get what I deserve,’ Aiyuk said. ‘I feel like this season, this season playing football, I figured out who I was as a person and a player, what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization. And just the value I hold when I walk in that building.
‘People going to follow me because I’ve done it the right way since I’ve been in that building. From the first day I walked in there to when I was in there earlier this morning. I’ve done it the right way.
He continued, ‘If they don’t see the worth in that [makes a walking motion with hands], that’s all it is. It ain’t nothing else besides that. I can’t get into it.
‘We got professionals working on both sides, so hopefully, we can come to a professional agreement and continue playing professional football.’
After being selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, Aiyuk signed a four-year, $12.5 million rookie contract with the 49ers. This upcoming season, he will be guaranteed $14.1 million under his fifth-year option.
In Super Bowl LVIII, he caught three balls for 49 yards
.