San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk found himself in the proverbial doghouse of head coach Kyle Shanahan a year ago. In just his second NFL season, it seemed like Aiyuk might not get a chance to use the talents that made him a 2020 first-round pick.
In early September 2021, Shanahan admitted to reporters that Aiyuk needed to be “a lot better than the guy behind him” if he wanted to see consistent playing time. While injuries played a part in that, it also came just days after Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports reported that Aiyuk was “still learning to be a pro.”
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The belief was reflected in Aiyuk’s limited production early in the 2021 season. Across his first seven games, the 6-foot receiver drew just 23 targets with 13 receptions for 141 receiving yards and one touchdown. In his final 10 games, Aiyuk drew 61 targets and racked up 685 receiving yards.
- Brandon Aiyuk stats (2021): 56 receptions, 826 receiving yards, five touchdowns
After arriving for training camp determined to prove himself, the third-year offensive weapon is making a statement. From reporters to teammates and even Shanahan, everyone watching Aiyuk at 49ers’ practices is coming away impressed.
“I’ve been saying it this whole spring and summer: He was locked in this offseason. He had a goal of separating himself and becoming kind of a different player. And he’s done that. He’s in a great spot right now. … He’s killing guys right now.”
San Francisco 49ers QB Trey Lance on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk
Earning the immediate trust of starting quarterback Trey Lance is a step in the right direction. Aiyuk is an outstanding vertical threat, as he showed at Arizona State. With Lance under center, San Francisco is expected to attack defenses deep far more often this season, thanks to a quarterback with one of the strongest arms in the NFL.
- Brandon Aiyuk 40 time: 4.5 seconds
Lance isn’t alone in recognizing that the 49ers now have a much better version of Aiyuk. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated attended practices this week and noted that the emerging receiver is in ‘phenomenal’ shape and now looks like a complete receiver ready to build off his strong finish in 2021.
As Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes, though, Shanahan is harder on wide receivers than any other position. Yet, the same coach who was openly critical of Aiyuk less than a year ago is now heaping praise upon him.
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When asked by Rob Lowder of Blue Wire Pods about Aiyuk, San Francisco’s head coach detailed what is helping him stand out this summer.
“He’s developing in all the stuff he needed to do to get better. He comes off the ball every play, he runs full speed every play, he’s not slow playing stuff anymore. He’s not sitting there and fighting with his hands. He’s doing it with his feet, with his hips, creating edges by running.”
San Francsico 49ers head coach Brandon Aiyuk
The 49ers already had an explosive offense with All-Pro weapons Deebo Samuel and George Kittle. Paired with one of the most explosive rushing attacks in the NFL, the ceiling is expected to be even higher in 2022 with Lance under center. If Aiyuk is taking that next step in his career, he could be one of the NFL’s breakout stars in an elite offense.
