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The San Francisco 49ers have been without star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is working his way back from a knee injury he suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7 of last season.
During training camp and the preseason, Aiyuk stayed closely involved with the team, offering tips to healthy receivers during practice and helping Leonard Hankerson break down plays in meetings. Now that the 2025 season is underway, many wonder when the 49ers receiver will return.
On September 25, 49ers general manager John Lynch provided an update on Aiyuk as the team appears to be taking a cautious approach with the player.
“No setbacks,” Lynch said during his appearance on KNBR. “There’s different levels with the ACL, Brandon had a significant injury. He’s a really gifted athlete and a really hard worker. There’s no absolutes on these things, he’s gotta continue to hit markers.
“We’ll be a better team when Brandon’s out there, so we look forward to that day, but it’s not close. When we have some more info on that we’ll be forthright with it.”
Could 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk Still Return in Week 6?
In August, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stated the hope was to have Aiyuk by Week 6. However, with Lynch not mentioning any target date, it will be interesting to see if the plans have changed and the team decided to push that back to ensure that the player is 100 percent and not feeling rushed due to the recent injuries that have hit the team to start the 2025 NFL season.
“I kind of view all those guys around the same time,” Shanahan said (h/t ESPN). “Whether it’s Mustafa, whether it’s Rourke or whether it’s Brandon. They’re all at different stages, but where they’re at, I always see ’em around Week 6, which means that could be Week 10, it means it could be Week 5, but that’s the area where I start thinking about it, which is a long way away. I know it’s not Week 1 or anything like that, so it’s something I’m not really thinking about too much.”
Ricky Pearsall Filling Brandon Aiyuk’s Shoes
With several players sidelined, Ricky Pearsall has become a dependable target. Moreover, he has recorded over 100 receiving yards in two of the three games he’s played this season.
Amid Pearsall’s impressive start to the season, former 49ers quarterback Steve Young appeared on KNBR and revealed that he’s amazed by what he’s seen from the second-year receiver.
“He’s Steve Smith a little bit,” Young said. “I feel like he has body control, and he’s going to get open. It’s not going to be—like you said—explosive. It’s not like he comes out of the gate and it’s, ‘Oh, watch out.’ But he understands. I feel like he really understands the spatial relationships on the field.
“That’s something Brent Jones had in a huge way from a tight-end spot, really having a sense of all the people on the field, where they are, where they’re going, what’s going to happen, and how he can fit in. And that’s just a knack… But Ricky, as a quarterback, he’s going to be where you think he’s supposed to be. You know what I mean? He’s going to find that space, especially against zones.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports journalist covering the NFL for Heavy.com. He previously covered the league for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has contributed as a freelance writer for The Sporting News. He also served as an editor for Athlon Sports and Heavy Sports focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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