Former Arizona State star suffers gruesome knee injury in 49ers-Chiefs game
The 2024 NFL season had already been an eventful one for former Arizona State star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Entering the final year of his rookie contract with the San Francisco 49ers, Aiyuk "held in" during training camp while demanding a contract extension. The extension finally came on Aug. 29, to the tune of four years and $120 million. But his refusal to practice robbed him - and the team - of valuable reps.
Not surprisingly, Aiyuk struggled to start the season. Coming into Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Aiyuk had caught just 23 passes for 351 yards - and no touchdowns. He had also dropped three passes.
He had a fourth drop on Sunday on a beautifully thrown ball from 49ers QB Brock Purdy that would have resulted in a big gain - and might have changed the complexion of the game, a 28-18 Chiefs win.
Here’s the brutal drop by Brandon Aiyukpic.twitter.com/kddwYkN81R
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) October 20, 2024
Then disaster struck. With 48 seconds left in the first half and the 49ers driving, Aiyuk caught a 15-yard pass from Purdy that put the 49ers on the Chiefs 14-yard line. As Aiyuk went to the ground, Kansas City safety Chamarri Conner threw his body into Aiyuk's legs - and his right knee caved inward.
Aiyuk stayed down, was eventually helped off the field and then was carted to the locker room. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game the team fears he tore his anterior cruciate ligament.
"That's what it looks like, but we don't know for sure," Shanahan said. "Been wrong before. So, praying that we are."
Here's the hit:
49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Injury 🤕
— Sebastian Fearon DPT, CSCS, OCS (@TheDegenDoc) October 20, 2024
R knee injury - Concern for significant ligament injury
Immediately ruled out, carted off & direct force to knee
Best Case: MCL sprain (2-4 wks)
Worst Case: ACL+ (10-12 months
If ACL, team likely already knows #FTTB pic.twitter.com/XpsmWK6OSU
Aiyuk was named first-team All-Pac-12 as both a wide receiver and as a return specialist as a senior at Arizona State in 2019. He was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the 49ers (pick No. 25) and put together an All-Pro season in 2023 with 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.
Now it's likely Aiyuk will be sidelined for the rest of the 2024 season.
More Arizona State & Big 12 Analysis
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. One of his favorite memories was covering the 1999 Fiesta Bowl - the first BCS National Championship Game - at Sun Devil Stadium.