Insider Reveals Contract Offer Brandon Aiyuk Received From Steelers

It now makes sense why Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers returned to the negotiating table on a contract extension.

Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) is pushed out of bounds by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee (23) during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers remain in a stalemate on a contract extension.

There is still no telling when a resolution will be reached, but the good news is that the two sides recently returned to the negotiating table. And there's a good reason for that, which was revealed by Albert Breer of the MMQB in his latest article. It turns out that the Steelers' offer to Aiyuk wasn't a lucrative one. It was similar to one that the 49ers are offering according to Breer.

"The San Francisco 49ers’ star didn’t want to go to New England, which offered him more than $30 million per year in its proposals, or the Cleveland Browns," Breer wrote.

"The Steelers’ price point was less than $28 million, which put Pittsburgh right in the neighborhood the Niners were inhabiting—with Mike Tomlin’s presence there the drawing card. That, in turn, pushed Aiyuk back to the table with the Niners."

Aiyuk's demand for a trade doesn't appear to work in his favor. He found two teams, the Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots, willing to cash him out, yet he denied them. The only other team he's reportedly willing to go to, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is giving him an offer like the 49ers.

At this point, Aiyuk is better off remaining with the 49ers. That was always going to be the case regardless of an extension. Trading him never made sense for both parties, but at least Aiyuk knows his value now. Only a few teams are interested enough to make an offer with only two of them being lucrative.

Hopefully, this pushes Aiyuk and the 49ers to get a deal done soon. The regular season is approaching quickly. Monday Night Football against the New York Jets is only three weeks away, so the faster Aiyuk can get back on the practice field the better.