Fred Warner voices major complaint against 49ers teammate Brandon Aiyuk over contract holdout

Brandon Aiyuk spent most of the 2024 offseason holding out for a big-money contract, which he eventually received: $120 million over four years. However, in the aftermath of his devastating knee injury and the San Francisco 49ers' collapse, a teammate has criticized him for prioritizing himself over the team.

Speaking earlier this month with the Baltimore Ravens' Kaly Van Noy on The Warner House, middle linebacker Fred Warner said:

"We were just talking about Brandon Aiyuk and the battles that he and me had in camp. He was not there all camp. Why? Because of a contract dispute."

"People were like, ‘Oh well, you know he’ll be back.’ I’m like, ‘You don’t understand there is a level of competition that has to occur, and timing not only for me and Brock Purdy - I am talking about as a team.’"

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49ers already regretting extending Brandon Aiyuk, insider claims

Unless Brandon Aiyuk posts massive numbers in his first season back from injury, his contract extension could become a financial burden for the 49ers. At least, that’s what The San Francisco Standard’s Tim Kawakami suggests.

He said the organization wasn’t exactly thrilled about finalizing Aiyuk’s deal in August:

"I know that there's still frustration about the way Brandon Aiyuk handled his bitter negotiations last summer and that members of the front office were never thrilled about giving him a $30 million-a-year deal on the eve of the regular season."

But Aiyuk isn’t the only player tied to the team’s regrets. His fellow wide receiver, Deebo Samuel, who requested a trade this month, is also reportedly viewed as a financial misstep:

"I think there's regret among some in 49ers management that Deebo wasn't traded during his tense negotiations three years ago instead of landing the extension the 49ers now will exit a year early — with the resulting salary-cap penalties. There's probably even more regret that Deebo wasn't traded last spring."

Before his injury, Aiyuk recorded 25 receptions for 374 yards and no touchdowns. Samuel, meanwhile, had 51 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns, along with 42 carries for 136 yards and one rushing touchdown.