Brandon Aiyuk's official exit from San Francisco is inevitable, but his next move might not be the one most have long expected.
Aiyuk has been trying to will his way to the Washington Commanders for some time now, and the connection between himself and QB Jayden Daniels, who overlapped at Arizona State, seemingly made him an ideal fit with an offense that could use another standout wide receiver.
As Aiyuk's social media activity continues, however, he may be burning a bridge that could prevent him continuing his career in the NFC East.
Here's a look at what Aiyuk said about Daniels and how the Commanders quarterback is responding.
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What did Brandon Aiyuk say about Jayden Daniels?
In an Instagram post, Aiyuk appeared to take a shot at Daniels and portrayed himself as a member of the Commanders despite still being under contract with the 49ers.
"You on my team now. You follow my rules," Aiyuk said. "Boy, I’m a grown a— man, boy. You gonna have to stop running your mama and I might believe what you’re talking about."
It isn't clear what Aiyuk is referring to, though a video of Daniels smiling and laughing as a fan disparaged Aiyuk recently went viral.
Shortly after, Aiyuk seemed to try to get back on Daniels' good side.
"Let’s run it 5! Let’s see! Need you available all szn and I’ll do the same!"
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) July 5, 2026Daniels appeared to respond to Aiyuk, posting a picture of Kevin Durant with two thumbs down on his Instagram story:
Potentially Daniels’ response to Aiyuk pic.twitter.com/3xrWwQ20Ms
— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) July 5, 2026While it's possible Aiyuk is just poking fun at a former teammate and friend, his recent social media activity has been erratic, from videos calling out the 49ers to posts depicting himself as a member of the Commanders. At this time, Aiyuk remains in limbo with the 49ers.
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Is Brandon Aiyuk a Commander?
Aiyuk remains with the 49ers, despite having not played for the team since early in the 2024 season.
A trade candidate in 2024 before agreeing to a four-year, $120 million extension, Aiyuk only played seven games on the contract before suffering a torn ACL. Aiyuk didn't start the season on the field for the 49ers in 2025, and it was reported late in the season that the two sides were headed for a split.
Aiyuk has generated headlines for his social media comments throughout the offseason and was issued an arrest warrant in June for misdemeanor speeding. Both sagas have made Aiyuk's path out of San Francisco via trade more difficult, but the 49ers haven't yet released the wide receiver.

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