Things just got really interesting between the San Francisco 49ers and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Aiyuk has been on the shelf the entire season after suffering a torn ACL last year. The expectation was he would be back at some point this season, but he has not even so much as been designated to return from the PUP list yet.
Now, The Athletic's Dianna Russini and Mike Silver are reporting that Aiyuk and the Niners are heading for a divorce in 2026 and Aiyuk may have played his last game with the team.
The report adds that Aiyuk has frustrated the 49ers by not attending team meetings and activities in recent months. As a result, San Francisco has voided Aiyuk's guarantees in his $120 million contract.
In the wake of that report, Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox listed off a handful of teams that would be "dream" landing spots for Aiyuk, and he named the Pittsburgh Steelers as one of them.
While the Steelers added DK Metcalf this offseason, they also parted with George Pickens. This means that Pittsburgh still has a desperate need for receiver depth behind its top option.
Now, the Steelers have some uncertainty at quarterback. Aaron Rodgers has mostly played well this season but will turn 42 in December. Pairing Aiyuk with Metcalf would help whoever the Steelers put behind center in 2026 and beyond.
The issue at wide receiver Knox mentions has stretched back to the 2024 offseason, when the team was looking for someone to pair with George Pickens.
Amid their search that year, the Steelers tried to trade for Aiyuk before he signed his long-term deal with the Niners, Silver and Russini revealed in their report.
Pittsburgh's offer included second- and third-round picks before San Francisco and Aiyuk finally agreed to an extension that is now proving disastrous.
Despite all the issues he's had in San Francisco in recent years, it's fair to believe the Steelers will still have interest in Aiyuk, although that will depend upon his health and how much he ultimately costs.
After all this, the price for Aiyuk should be cheap, as no team is going to be willing to dish out big bucks under the circumstances.
If that turns out to be the case, the Steelers would be wise to take a flyer on a two-time 1,000-yard wide receiver who would serve as a great complement to DK Metcalf.
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- Joe Burrow injury update from Bengals leaves door open for Week 12 return
- Steelers' Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell usage plan confirmed by ESPN