49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk reveals why he tweeted at Steelers' Mike Tomlin amidst contract negotiations
When San Francisco 49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk tweeted at Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin, it generated headlines. In the middle of a contract negotiation, Aiyuk has voiced his want for a long-term deal, but his representation and the 49ers are obviously not aligned. That led some to believe Aiyuk may have been interested in […]
When San Francisco 49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk tweeted at Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin, it generated headlines.
In the middle of a contract negotiation, Aiyuk has voiced his want for a long-term deal, but his representation and the 49ers are obviously not aligned.
That led some to believe Aiyuk may have been interested in a trade, especially after his message for Coach Tomlin.
Well, Aiyuk cleared it all up:
Just Having Fun
"Every day while your under contract talks, every day is like a different day," Aiyuk told Shannon Sharpe and Chad Jonson on a recent edition of Nightcap. I said I’m not going to say anything and just wait until after my birthday (March 17), and I’m going to try to put a little bit more pressure on them (49ers). I wake up and they’re talking about another team again that I’m supposed to be in trade talks or whatever. So I just said let me, if everybody is saying this, and this, and that, let me go ahead and just put out my one little spots. I reverted back to Tomlin, we can have a little bit of fun with it. It’s all in fun, like I said we’re all professionals, it is what it is. But that’s where the Tomlin stuff came from.”
Look, that's a good story, and I'm sure it was all in good fun. But Pittsburgh needs another WR, and Aiyuk fits the mold of what they just lost in Diontae Johnson but supersized both physically and athletically.
And while the talks have slowed down, or "never happened" according to 49ers GM John Lynch, if no extension is in place come the end of the month when the NFL Draft commences, I wouldn't rule out a deal just yet.
