Brandon Aiyuk owes the 49ers roughly $13 million in bonus forfeiture as he prepares to report Friday, with the league offices involved

Brandon Aiyuk is still planning to walk into the San Francisco 49ers’ facility on Friday afternoon, but a roughly $13 million bonus-forfeiture claim has become a live complication in his push to force a release before the Nov. 10 trade deadline.

Veteran WR Brandon Aiyuk owes the 49ers roughly $13 million in bonus forfeiture — a potential complication in his efforts to secure his release by reporting to the facility Friday.

The NFL Management Council and the NFL Players Association are both involved in attempting to

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 5, 2026

Tom Pelissero reported that the money is tied to the signing bonus from Aiyuk’s 2024 extension, and that both the league’s Management Council and the Players Association are working on a path forward. The sides could settle on a repayment plan, or the dispute could go to arbitration. Either route may take time, which is the opposite of a clean Friday release.

Rosenhaus still says Friday at 3 p.m.

Brandon Aiyuk’s agent Drew Rosenhaus repeated that his client will report back to the 49ers on Friday afternoon. “We will be there tomorrow at 3pm to meet with the team at the facility,” Rosenhaus texted. “We will put our best foot forward and go from there.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 5, 2026

That matches the timeline laid out when Aiyuk filed for reinstatement after hiring Rosenhaus: report, come off the reserve/left squad list, and put the 49ers in a position where they have to keep him, trade him or cut him. Kyle Shanahan said this week that the club has “moved on” from Aiyuk, which is why the expectation around the league has been a release once he shows up.

Why the money matters

Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension in 2024 that included a $23 million signing bonus. After he stopped fulfilling required rehab and check-in terms during his recovery from the October 2024 knee injury, San Francisco voided about $27 million in guarantees in July 2025 and later placed him on the reserve/left squad list. The club can seek repayment of a percentage of that signing bonus, and Pelissero’s figure puts the claim near $13 million.

General manager John Lynch said Thursday the situation is unique and that the front office is working with the Management Council. Showing up at 3 p.m. Friday still matters for the roster process, but it may not by itself clear the money fight that stands between Aiyuk and a free-agent landing spot before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

What to watch Friday

The first checkpoint is whether Aiyuk and Rosenhaus arrive as promised. The second is whether San Francisco and the player can agree on how the forfeiture is handled, or whether arbitration stretches the timeline past the deadline. Aiyuk has not played an NFL snap since he tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee against Kansas City on Oct. 20, 2024.