At a time when it’s not clear whether receiver Brandon Aiyuk is getting any advice — or whether he’s listening to the advice he’s getting — a former NFL G.M. who knows Aiyuk plans to connect with him.
Appearing Monday on SiriusXM NFL Radio, former Titans G.M. Ran Carthon, who worked for the 49ers during Aiyuk’s first three years in San Francisco, addressed Aiyuk’s recent social-media video habit, including Saturday’s decision to cross swords with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
“There’s something there, and I’m being as transparent as transparent can be,” Carthon said. “B.A. and I, we have a relationship. I was there when we drafted him, and through time spent in the same building, we have a relationship. I honestly have been going back and forth in my head over the last week or so and I really want to reach out to him on a personal level and see if he’s willing to have the conversation, because I think there’s something there that hasn’t quite been unlocked. I don’t know if ‘unlocked’ is the right word. But I do agree with you, this isn’t the Brandon Aiyuk I know. Now, I know him to be stubborn, so I know that part about him.
“But this recent behavior, I’m not as familiar with. And the other part of it, to be quite honest, in this day and age with these guys, it could just be him trolling with the most recent video, knowing that he will get a reaction. And maybe even trying to figure out — these guys are fairly smart — so maybe he’s like, ‘OK, maybe if I create enough buzz in saying whatever he said to Jayden [Daniels] online, then the 49ers won’t think I’m just trying to get to Washington.
“Maybe that’s a game being played right now. But in full transparency, it’s something, probably when we get off the air, I may just shoot a text and say, ‘Hey man, let’s connect.’ I just want to see where his head is and offer him any advice that I can, or be a sounding board.”
Someone needs to tell Aiyuk that it would be a good idea to stop the videos, and to petition the NFL for reinstatement from the 49ers’ reserve/left squad list. That’s the first tangible step toward securing the free agency Aiyuk wants.
