Brandon Aiyuk Files for Reinstatement, Will Report to 49ers on Friday

Brandon Aiyuk has filed the paperwork to be reinstated to the NFL and plans to report to the San Francisco 49ers training facility on Friday afternoon, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN reporter Adam Schefter on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

Aiyuk is on the 49ers reserve/left squad list. Players on that list do not count against the roster and are not paid. Filing for reinstatement is the step he had to take before he could return to the team in any form.

"Brandon is healthy and ready to get back on the field," Rosenhaus said, according to Schefter's report on X. Schefter posted the news at 14:10 UTC on Wednesday. NBC Sports, USA Today and other outlets carried the same report within the hour.

Two years away from the field

Aiyuk last played on October 20, 2024, when he tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The injury came weeks after he signed a four-year, 120 million dollar contract extension on August 30, 2024. He had earned second team All-Pro honors in 2023, when he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards.

He spent the 2025 season away from the team while he recovered from the knee injury, in a dispute with the club over how his rehab was handled. The 49ers voided the remaining guaranteed money in his contract. On December 13, 2025, the team placed him on the reserve/left squad list after he stopped reporting to the facility. He did not report to training camp in July 2026.

A new agent, then the filing

On November 2, 2026, Aiyuk hired Rosenhaus as his agent, replacing Ryan Williams. Two days later, the reinstatement paperwork was filed.

What San Francisco does next

Once Aiyuk reports, the 49ers have to decide. They can keep him under his current contract, trade him before the league trade deadline on November 10, or release him. Team officials have said he will never play for the 49ers again, according to NBC Sports, and earlier attempts to trade him found no taker. Several outlets called a release the most likely outcome on Wednesday.

Aiyuk, 28, was a first round pick in 2020, taken 25th overall. He has 294 catches for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career, all with San Francisco.