When 49ers tight end George Kittle last addressed receiver Brandon Aiyuk, during a visit with Pardon My Take, he told Commanders fan PFT Commenter, “Have fun with that.”
In a Thursday visit with Chris Simms, Kittle opted not to get into the details about the things that have happened between Aiyuk and the 49ers. However, Kittle strongly hinted that the problems trace to the protracted and difficult contract negotiations between Aiyuk and the 49ers from 2024.
“I feel like I know basically everything that’s happened and what’s gone on, and I can’t share all of that, because it’s not my business to share or tell,” Kittle said. “But . . . I feel like the Niners have done a very good job throughout the entire process and have tried. [Coach] Kyle [Shanahan] has tried. [G.M.] John [Lynch] has tried. Teammates have tried. And this is where we are. And so I think the organization itself has done a really good job. And like I said, I know plenty of things. . . . I don’t want to point a finger at anybody, but I’ve been here for 10 years, and I’ve been treated with nothing but respect and love my entire career. I feel like I’ve done it the right way as long as I can.”
That’s the right approach. Kittle and Aiyuk have been teammates for six years. Technically, they still are — even if Aiyuk undoubtedly will never play for the 49ers again (barring a dramatic and unexpected change of heart).
Kittle pivoted during his response to the contract issue that bogged down the relationship between Aiyuk and the 49ers. And Kittle’s comments make clear his belief that, for Aiyuk, the situation left a wound that never healed.
“Contract negotiations are also — those are always hard for everybody,” Kittle said. “And you just try your best to not be sensitive about it. But I will say, you know, Richard Sherman gave me advice back in the day when I was going through my first contract negotiation. It was, ‘Contracts are like braces. They hurt and they suck the entire time, and then once you get your braces off and you get paid, you don’t even remember having them. And it’s a great time.’ Like, that’s kind of the mindset you have to have, and, you know, if you get offended by something, you hold onto it, that’s kind of on you, because everybody goes through contract negotiations, and they’re all difficult.”
Regardless of how much sense that makes, something happened that pushed Aiyuk past the point of no return. For him, it was the first real contract negotiation of his pro career. The 49ers do them all the time and, frankly, this creates an obligation to not treat all of them the same. For someone like Kittle, the discomfort of the braces was forgotten immediately. For someone like Aiyuk, the pain and discomfort can’t be.
Successful coaches have a different approach to coaching different players. Front offices should do the same. Hardball can’t be the only game played; for some players, the echoes of chin music never fade away.
Whether or not the 49ers had reason to believe Aiyuk would hold a grudge over contentious contract talks is a different issue. As the situation was unfolding two summers ago, however, there was plenty of evidence to support the conclusion that the time had come to move on. And the 49ers had a chance to do it, with a trade to the Steelers teed up before Aiyuk suddenly decided to accept the team’s offer.
Surely, the 49ers wish they’d gone through with the trade. Even more surely, they’ve learned from the experience a better way to resolve the next negotiations that turn extra ugly.
Or maybe they’ve learned how to keep the negotiations from getting extra ugly. Especially from the players who won’t forget the ugliness.
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