The Brandon Aiyuk saga continues to hover over the 49ers, and now one of his closest football friends is weighing in, even if he insists he has no control over what happens next.
Speaking to reporters during Commanders OTAs, Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels was asked about the swirling trade rumors connecting his former Arizona State teammate to the Commanders.
Daniels kept his answer measured, but the fact that he is being asked about it at this point in the offseason is telling.
“I don’t have a sense on it,” Daniels said. “That is my brother, we have a personal relationship, but his football future is out of my control.”
The connection between Daniels and Aiyuk goes back to Arizona State in 2019, when the two developed chemistry during Daniels’ freshman season.
Aiyuk exploded for 1,192 receiving yards (over 40 percent of Daniels’s total passing yards that season) and eight touchdowns that year before becoming a first-round pick by the 49ers in 2020.
That shared history is a major reason Washington continues to be viewed as the most logical landing spot if San Francisco finally moves on. Daniels also has another tie to Aiyuk through Commanders general manager Adam Peters, who helped draft Aiyuk while working in the 49ers front office.
Still, the situation remains stuck in neutral.
Aiyuk has not played since suffering ACL and MCL injuries during the 2024 season, and his fractured relationship with the 49ers only deepened after he ceased communication with the team during rehab in 2025.
General manager John Lynch admitted earlier this offseason that it was “safe to say” Aiyuk had likely played his final snap for San Francisco, though the receiver remains on the roster as trade talks drag on.
For now, Daniels is staying out of the middle of it publicly. But from a 49ers perspective, his comments only reinforce what many around the league already believe: Washington is just still waiting for San Francisco to finally pick up the phone.
