Aiyuk Returns to Active NFL Roster
The 49ers now have until late November to decide whether to release, trade, or sign the wide receiver.
By Matthew Qureshi ·
The NFL reinstated San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk on Monday following his physical examination. This move allows the league to officially return him to an active roster status. The team now faces a tight administrative window to determine his final status.
League transaction records confirm that San Francisco received a two-game roster exemption. This period runs until Monday, November 23. The deadline falls immediately after the 49ers play the Minnesota Vikings in Mexico City during Week 11. This timeline gives the front office time to resolve any remaining contractual issues with the player.
Aiyuk has spent the past year on the reserve/injured list. He suffered a severe injury to his right knee on October 20, 2024. That game resulted in tears to his ACL, MCL, and meniscus. In recent weeks, the player hired Drew Rosenhaus as his agent. The two filed reinstatement paperwork in late October to begin the process.
The team and Aiyuk’s representative met at the 49ers business offices on Friday. The discussion lasted approximately 75 minutes. Rosenhaus described the meeting as unfinished upon exiting the building. Aiyuk told reporters outside the office that he felt healthy and ready to play.
"I'm feeling great, feeling healthy," Aiyuk said. "It was a long recovery process, a long rehab process, but I'm back to 100% and looking to get reinstated to the National Football League." He expressed relief at completing the medical clearance steps.
Head Coach Kyle Shanahan downplayed the impact of the reinstatement on the team's current operations. He described the two-game exemption as purely administrative. "It means absolutely nothing to our team," Shanahan said. "I think we got two week roster exemption and that's all administrative stuff to me." The coach indicated that the football department had already moved past the player's situation.
The 49ers currently have three options for Aiyuk. They can release him, a move considered likely by many observers. They can trade him before the Tuesday 4 p.m. ET deadline, though they have not found a partner. Or they can keep him on the 53-man roster, a path Shanahan suggested had already passed. The decision will determine whether Aiyuk remains a Niners player through the rest of the season.
