Brandon Aiyuk injury update: 49ers' John Lynch offers grim update on wide receiver's possible return
It doesn't appear that Aiyuk will be back anytime soon
By
Bryan DeArdo
•
2 min read
It does't appear that the 49ers will have Brandon Aiyuk anytime soon as he continues to work his way from a significant knee injury sustained in Week 7 of the 2024 season.
There's been much speculation as to when Aiyuk will make his return to the field. And while he didn't offer any specifics, 49ers general manager John Lynch made it clear Thursday that it'll still be a while before Aiyuk is back in San Francisco's huddle.
"No setbacks," Lynch said of Aiyuk's recovery during an interview with KNBR. "There's different levels when you do these ACLs, and Brandon had a fairly significant injury, involving a lot of different things in his knee. He's a really gifted athlete. He's a very hard worker. And so when you combine that, you tend to come back at a good clip.
"There's no absolutes on these things. So he's got to continue to hit markers, but he is tracking well. He's working hard. And we'll just continue to do that. We'll be a better team when Brandon is out there. And so we look forward to that day, but you know, it's not close. When we have some more information on that, we'll be forthright with it."
Aiyuk, 27, earned a contract extension last offseason after back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. But after a lengthy holdout prior to getting to getting his extension, Aiyuk played well below his usual standards last season prior to getting injured. He caught just 25 of 47 targets for 374 and zero touchdowns.
Aiyuk is one of several 49ers currently dealing with injuries. Tight end George Kittle is on injured reserve after injuring his hamstring in Week 1. Quarterback Brock Purdy has missed the last two games with a toe injury, but has a chance to be back for this weekend's game against the Jaguars.
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With Aiyuk and Kittle out, the 49ers have received an uptick in production from second year wideout Ricky Pearsall. A 2024 first-round pick, Pearsall is second on the team in receptions (16) and first in receiving yards (281).
"Man, he attacked this off season in a really good fashion," Lynch said of Pearsall. "He he worked his tail off, and now you're seeing it come to fruition.
"I think the thing that's been so impressive is endurance. He's playing a lot of snaps; he's the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps going. He keeps running. ... He's a great competitor, and I'm really happy for Ricky and grateful with the contributions he's making for our squad."
