Brandon Aiyuk called out for $10m Commanders decision as George Kittle gets real on 49ers saga

Brandon Aiyuk has made joining the Washington Commanders his offseason mission, and has now stepped up his efforts with a $10 million purchase.

The disgruntled wideout will not return to the San Francisco 49ers in 2026, despite still being under contract with the team.

Getty

Aiyuk is currently on the reserve/left squad list after he stopped showing up to the facility last season as he rehabilitated a knee injury that sidelined him in October 2024.

For months, he has been calling for his release, but the Niners have shown no urgency to make a move, even though general manager John Lynch has confirmed the receiver will never suit up for the team again.

Washington has long appeared Aiyuk’s preferred destination, given the string of hints he’s dropped on social media.

The expectation is that he’ll get his wish ahead of the 2026 season, and the 28-year-old is so confident he’ll be a Commander, that he’s bought a $10m property in Virginia.

Brandon Aiyuk breaks bank with $10m purchase

Late on Thursday, the wideout posted a photo on his Instagram story which initially included a caption with a misspelling of the location of his new home.

“Brandon Aiyuk acquires $10m Loudon County (VA) Estate,” he wrote.

Washington’s practice facility is located in Ashburn, Loudoun County.

Aiyuk was apparently made aware of his typo, and later posted another story to confirm his new property is also in Loudoun.

He also revealed his new house is ‘right around the corner from bro and sis’ and thanked his ‘mommager’ for the ‘connection’.

While the purchase appears to be a massive statement of intent, some fans couldn’t believe Aiyuk has jumped the gun, given he potentially soured his ties with the Commanders by going after quarterback and friend Jayden Daniels in a recent post.

Getty

Getty

“Odd for someone not even signed on the team to do. Let alone made the final roster. Only way he’d do this is he’s legit nuts or there’s been tampering,” one fan posted on X.

“Has Brandon Aiyuk lost his mind?” another asked.

A third said: “How does he think, after seeing all this behavior, the commanders feel about him? You have to be delusional.”

“Nobody wants this idiot near JD5,” a fourth claimed.

“It’s going to be classic when he doesn’t get signed there!” a fifth concluded.

Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120m contract extension with the 49ers back in 2024, before going down injured later that year.

Getty

Some of that money, perhaps, has gone into his new property, 2,820 miles away from Levi’s Stadium in Loudoun.

It was reported in November 2025 that Aiyuk’s guaranteed money for 2026 had been voided by San Francisco due to a lack of participation amid injury rehab.

While he confirmed to the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) at the time that he wasn’t interested in filing a grievance about the situation, it likely kick-started his bid to leave the team.

Niners star opens up on Brandon Aiyuk standoff

Aiyuk’s situation with the Niners remains nothing short of a mess as the new season approaches, but teammate George Kittle believes the team has handled it well.

Getty

“I just want to let you know that I feel like the Niners have done a very good job throughout the entire process,” the tight end told Chris Simms Unbuttoned on Thursday.

“Kyle (Shanahan) has tried, John (Lynch) has tried, and teammates have tried, and this is where we are. The organization itself has done a really good job.

“I know plenty of things, and I don’t ever want to single out a player; I don’t ever want to point a finger at anybody, but I’ve been here for 10 years, and I’ve been treated with nothing but respect and love my entire career.

“I feel like I’ve done it the right way for as long as I can. Contract negotiations are always hard for everybody. You just try your best not to be sensitive about it.”

Aiyuk has taken a $10m gamble on the Commanders, which will no doubt leave him even more desperate to make his departure from San Francisco official.

The decision, though, remains out of his hands, and it’s not yet clear if he’ll suit up for Washington in 2026, even if he does live minutes away from the facility.

Stay up to date on all things NFL across our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET.