Receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been reinstated to the San Francisco 49ers by the NFL after leaving the team a year ago.
The league removed Aiyuk from the reserve/left squad list on Monday and gave the 49ers a two-week exemption before they need to add him to the 53-man roster.
Aiyuk had submitted his request for reinstatement after hiring Drew Rosenhaus as his agent. He met with the 49ers last Friday as part of his attempt to get back into the NFL.
Aiyuk has not played for more than two years since injuring his knee in October 2024 but said last week that he's healthy and wants to return to the league.
The Niners have said they have no plans to play Aiyuk again and could either trade him before Tuesday's deadline or release him before the two-game exemption expires on Nov. 23.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan called the move “administrative” said it and doesn’t change any plans for the Niners.
“It means absolutely nothing to our team,” he said.
The 49ers are also seeking to get money back from Aiyuk. A person with knowledge of the situation said the league sent Aiyuk and the NFL Players Association a letter last week saying that he owes the 49ers about $13 million based on bonuses he was paid after signing a four-year, $120 million extension just before the start of the 2024 season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the letter was not released.
Aiyuk had been on the reserve/left squad list since leaving the Niners late last season.
He fired agent Ryan Williams during his long-running dispute with the 49ers and was without representation until he recently hired Rosenhaus.
The 49ers previously voided $27 million guaranteed in Aiyuk’s contract for 2026 for failing to participate in meetings and other team activities last summer when he was rehabilitating his knee injury.
Aiyuk signed the big extension just before the start of the 2024 season following a lengthy contract hold-in that kept him out of training camp. He was coming off a 2023 season when he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns and was a second-team All-Pro.
Aiyuk had only 25 catches for 374 yards in seven games in 2024 before getting injured. The 28-year-old has 294 catches for 4,305 yards and 25 TDs since being drafted in the first round in 2020.
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
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FILE - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk warms up before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, File)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The two big additions the San Francisco 49ers made to their starting defense since coming back from the bye helped them deliver the type of defensive performance they will need to make a playoff run.
With star defensive end Nick Bosa back after missing five games because of a calf injury and DeForest Buckner playing his first game since being traded back to the 49ers during the bye week, San Francisco dominated defensively in a 38-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
“Those are two super disruptive players for our D-line and the offense has to have a plan for them at all times,” linebacker Fred Warner said about Bosa and Buckner. “It frees up a lot of things for the rest of the defense.”
While Bosa and Buckner didn't make many splash plays, their presence helped the defense deliver a lot.
The Niners (7-1) generated five takeaways in a game for the first time in nearly 12 years. All five came in the second half, starting with a pick-6 by rookie Jaden Dugger on the first snap of the third quarter.
San Francisco ended the game with takeaways on the final four drives, with Warner forcing a fumble and recovering one, while Renardo Green and Malik Mustapha had interceptions.
The 49ers also held Las Vegas to 24 yards rushing for the lowest total they allowed in a game since holding Atlanta to 17 yards on Nov. 8, 2015.
That's the formula they will need to replicate on defense down the stretch.
“We have the guys to do it,” Bosa said. “We're going to keep getting better. ... It's great to have (Buckner) back and we have the guys to do it.”
Buckner played his first game for the Niners since the Super Bowl following the 2019 season. He was traded the following offseason to Indianapolis and returned Oct. 27 when he was acquired from the Colts for a fourth-round draft pick.
Buckner had two quarterback hits and got one of the loudest cheers during pregame introductions.
“I definitely had some butterflies today,” he said. “Obviously, my first game being back, I was definitely nervous. I just had to tell myself, ‘Just go out there and play football.’”
Generating takeaways. After back-to-back games with no takeaways, the 49ers had five in a game for the first time since Nov. 16, 2014, against the Giants.
Guarding tight ends. The 49ers allowed 10 catches for 148 yards to Las Vegas tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer. That was the second-most yards they allowed to opposing tight ends in the last 19 seasons behind the 172 against Arizona on Dec. 17, 2023.
WR Jordan Watkins. With Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel sidelined, Watkins came through with four catches for 86 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown. Watkins has seven catches for 142 yards in his past two games. The 2025 fourth-round pick had only five catches for 82 yards in his career before that.
“J-Wat's done a good job with the opportunity that he's been given,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “If he's got a one-on-one matchup, I'm not going to shy it down.”
Kick coverage unit. The Niners allowed a 54-yard kick return by Dylan Laube that set up a field goal. San Francisco has allowed the fourth-highest return average this season (27.8 yards per return) and the sixth-worst average starting field position after kickoffs (32).
DT Gracen Halton will miss the rest of the season after breaking his ankle. ... Green (back) and CB Deommodore Lenoir (foot) left the game and are day to day. … WR Deebo Samuel (hamstring) and DT C.J. West (knee) are expected back at practice Wednesday. … WR Mike Evans (Achilles tendinitis) won’t practice Wednesday but hasn’t been ruled out this week.
18 — Christian McCaffrey extended his record with his 18th career game with at least one touchdown run and catch. Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk is second with 15.
The 49ers visit Dallas on Sunday in search of the team's second 8-1 start to a season in the last 15 years. They also did it in 2019 on the way to the Super Bowl.
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San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner (54) celebrates next to linebacker Jaden Dugger (53) after forcing a fumble, which the 49ers recovered, against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Jaden Dugger (53) gestures after returning an interception for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) passes as San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (99) applies pressure during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)
San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman DeForest Buckner (99) is introduced before an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)
