Deebo Samuel refutes rumors of rift with Brandon Aiyuk as 49ers teammate's trade request turns heads
The San Francisco 49ers were in for a rude awakening on Tuesday, July 16, as Brandon Aiyuk demanded a trade away from the franchise.
Aiyuk and the Niners were seemingly locked in negotiations over a new deal with the wide receiver on the last year of his rookie contract. His current deal pays him a little over $14 million in 2024.
Incidentally, Aiyuk's teammate Deebo Samuel also made a post on Instagram the same day Aiyuk himself demanded a trade away. One of the posts on the carousel features a clip of Gervonta Davis saying:
"You ain't that. You ain't that, brother. You ain't that."
A number of fans in the comments took it to be some sort of slight towards Brandon Aiyuk's trade request. However, Samuel was quick to dispel any notion of throwing shade at his teammate. Samuel wrote on X:
"Nothing in my post on my IG slide post has nothing to do with my brother 11 (Aiyuk). Y'all folks need to chill."
Inside Brandon Aiyuk's trade request and a "dirty game"
Late last month, Brandon Aiyuk appeared on the Pivot Podcast to clear the air about a number of stories swirling around his career with the Niners.
Aiyuk clarified a few points but also raised some grievances, primarily with how the story was playing out with the media. The 49ers playmaker said on the podcast:
“It’s a little bit frustrating for actual numbers to come out. I felt like it was a little bit disrespectful and a little bit unfair to me.
"It’s a dirty game.”
Aiyuk was seemingly referring to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle that said he was looking for a contract similar to the one the Detroit Lions handed Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is set to earn $28 million a year as part of his $120 million extension. The report added that the 49ers' offer amounted to $26 million a year.
Aiyuk addressed that $2 million gap on the same podcast, saying:
"I have a vision for what I see myself as, and they don't see me as that. Or you do, but you don't, you can't financially do it. Whatever, whatever, whatever. I'm not sure.
"It's no hard feelings, though. If you don't want to do it or you can't do it, I'm sorry. There's somebody that will."
Aiyuk has repeatedly said he'd like to play with Jayden Daniels over with the Washington Commanders but could also see himself in a Steelers jersey. CBS Sports' Josina Anderson reported that the New England Patriots also reached out over an Aiyuk trade.
However, at the time of writing, the Niners remain adamant about keeping Aiyuk in town. Considering Aiyuk's salary for 2024 is $14.124M per Spotrac, Aiyuk could find himself in a Tee Higgins-like situation wherein his lower salary is more valuable to the franchise than any compensation in a trade considering most of the 49ers' core is back for another run at the Super Bowl.