Insider Reveals Steelers Contract Offer to Brandon Aiyuk

The Pittsburgh Steelers' reported contract offer to Brandon Aiyuk came in lower than expected.

Dec 31, 2023; Landover, Maryland, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Commanders during the second half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- Just when it appeared a conclusion to the Epic of Brandon Aiyuk was imminent, another wrench was thrown into the works after the Pittsburgh Steelers' extension offer to the wide receiver was revealed.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported that the Steelers put just under $28 million per year on the table for Aiyuk, who brushed off that bid and ran back to the San Francisco 49ers looking to continue negotiations and find common ground after declining several deals that would've sent him elsewhere throughout the offseason.

"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."

It's been hard to gain a firm understanding of what Aiyuk has truly desired throughout this entire process. He passed up on a massive pay day from the Patriots that would've earned him the second-largest average annual value (AAV) at his position behind Justin Jefferson, though he showed little interest in playing for the team in the midst of a rebuild.

As Breer noted, Aiyuk also nipped a trade to the Browns in the bud that would've sent Amari Cooper and several draft picks back to the Niners.

The 26-year-old star appears more willing to become a member of the Steelers, however, and the fact that the two teams agreed to terms last week made that possibility all the more tangible. Breer's report complicates the situation though, as Pittsburgh's bid to Aiyuk has seemingly halted all momentum and put the trade in purgatory for the time being.

In terms of next steps, Breer is of the belief that a return to San Francisco for Aiyuk feels like the most logical finish to this entire exercise, even despite the fact that the parties aren't on the greatest terms as of right now.

"As it stands, the situation is still unstable," Breer wrote. "If the Niners could’ve gotten a player via a deal with the Steelers (Pittsburgh refused to give one up, so it’d have to have been in a corresponding trade), there’s a chance Aiyuk would be in Pittsburgh now. And although things have certainly gotten sideways between him and the Niners, no doors have closed on a return."

It's possible that Pittsburgh could simply increase their offer and lure Aiyuk that way, but there are no certainties, especially considering how this saga has unfolded. A resolution feels like it should come before the start of the regular season, so something will have to give sooner rather than later.

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