Kyle Shanahan Explains Why the 49ers Haven't Extended Brandon Aiyuk Yet

It seems like the 49ers want to give themselves a way to get out of Aiyuk's contract if they feel they can't afford it.

Feb 7, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks during a press conference before Super Bowl LVIII at Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk are haggling over a couple million dollars per season.

In the context of the NFL and their Super Bowl window, a couple million dollars per season seems like small potatoes. On Friday, head coach Kyle Shanahan explained why the negotiation actually is extremely complicated. Here's what he said courtesy of the 49ers' p.r. department.

Q: Not getting into specific finances, but with this team as close as it is to a championship, do you understand maybe fans or whatever saying, “Why not just keep going with the money? Why would you risk your best chance at a Super Bowl over whatever the money terms are?” Do you understand that?

SHANAHAN: “I understand the question yeah, but I don't look into anything just as a one-year deal. I think everything is tied together. I think we're as aggressive as we can be every year. And everything is connected to each other too. And wherever you go one spot, you have to go less at another. So it's not as simple as that perspective. I totally get that from a fan standpoint and everything. If it was that simple, I think it'd be a lot easier to figure things out. But too many things do connect and tie together with that. That's why these things can be difficult.”

Q: The perception always is that the coach is going to want guys in, just because you want them to play. You don't have to always worry about what's going on in financing. You haven't really ever expressed something like that. But is it hard to just not say, “Let's just get the guys in and let's go win football games?”

SHANAHAN: “If I only understood 40-percent of the business, I think that would be extremely hard for me. But yeah, I don't think you can be like that as a head coach. You have to know the big picture and it all ties together. So, hell yeah you want every player in camp and you want every player healthy and you want to be working at everything every single day. But that's not the reality of our league. That's not the reality of our situation.”

MY TAKE: It seems like the 49ers want to give themselves a way to get out of Aiyuk's contract if they feel they can't afford it along with Brock Purdy's extension, which he'll get next year. I would be surprised if their offer for Aiyuk has any guaranteed money after 2025.

Stay tuned.