Before Sunday’s games began, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer said reported that The 49ers were on the verge of trading wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Steelers when the receiver came to the facility for a final attempt at a new contract.
According to Glazer’s report, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan rushed upstairs to put trade talks on hold before the team and Aiyuk worked out the deal he ultimately signed over the next few hours. Following Monday night’s 32-19 win over the Jets, Shanahan confirmed that “most” of the report was accurate.
“I wanted to make sure he was not traded “Already,” Shanahan said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “But no, that’s how I’ve been reporting to you all along. You’ve been asking me about it and I’m like, ‘Anything can happen.’ There were reports that we almost traded with some teams but we didn’t. Some were true, some weren’t, but all options were open.”
Aiyuk was targeted five times Monday night, including a throw into the end zone that he couldn’t hold on to while diving. He caught two passes for 28 yards.
Shanahan added that “I’m glad we ultimately had the patience” to get the deal done, but it appears that with even more patience, Aiyuk could have done his job in Pittsburgh.
