George Kittle has broken his silence on the Brandon Aiyuk situation. His comments paint a confusing and distant picture of the relationship between the star receiver and the San Francisco 49ers, adding fuel to trade speculation.

On Tuesday, the 32-year-old tight end appeared on the podcast Bussin’ With The Boys and spoke candidly about Aiyuk’s routine as his trade seems inevitable. 

To which Kittle replied: “Yeah, I don’t know about that. The last I saw Aiyuk, he was kinda at training camp, kinda not. I don’t know what’s going on with Brandon. I don’t know what he’s thinking about. So I really have no idea.”

The distance between Aiyuk and the team started growing in 2024 when the 28-year-old sustained a season-ending ACL and MCL injury in October. In fact, head coach Shanahan even said so back in December.

Moreover, he missed out on the 2025 season entirely. And the management voided part of the guaranteed money on his contract. 

“I started going out to see him in the weight room because he didn’t go into the locker room or the training room anymore. He would just go to the weight room to do his rehab... I don’t know what’s going on with Brandon. I don’t know what he’s thinking. Really have no idea. It’s not something I bring up to John Lynch or Kyle Shanahan very often,” Kittle said. 

Aiyuk Could Potentially Join the Cleveland Browns

Lynch confirmed that Aiyuk would not return next season, ending his four-year stint with the 49ers. And that is a golden opportunity for the Browns to bring in a much-needed reliable wide receiver. 

ESPN analyst Benjamin Solak predicted that the team should trade him and listed how it would benefit them. 

“The Browns will bring in 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, as they continue their tradition of signing receivers on low-cost contracts in the hopes of hitting it big. The Browns can offer him more money and opportunity,” Solak wrote.

Before his injuries, Aiyuk had made 75 receptions for 1,342 yards. Those were the seventh most receptions in the 2023 season. He also made seven touchdowns and ranked second with 17.9 yards per reception. 

Kittle's comments suggest a serious disconnect within the team. And while there is no solution, the Browns could benefit from this tragedy. Do you think they should take him? 

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar