49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL

During Sunday’s press conference, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was under the assumption wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL: “So that’s what we fear. That’s what it looks like, but we’ve been wrong before. So, praying that we are.”

Multiple national reporters have confirmed that Aiyuk’s ACL is torn, along with his MCL, and there may be other damage. Aiyuk has been the focal point of the 49ers passing offense and helped take Brock Purdy and the Niners to new heights. Aiyuk, fresh off an All-Pro season, will look to come back stronger than ever in 2025.

Despite the news being expected, it’s still unfortunate and a reminder of how small your window in the NFL to win is. Throughout the years, San Francisco has been on the doorstep of a Super Bowl victory but has always come up short.

This injury feels like the one that’ll do the Niners in during their 2024 campaign. The offense will get back Christian McCaffrey at some point, more likely sooner than later, but the injuries have piled up high enough that they might be insurmountable.

Much will be made about Aiyuk’s statistics this season, but that ignores how opposing defenses played him. The same people who did not like how Aiyuk handled this offseason will use this injury to say, “I told you so,” but that’s not how football works.

Aiyuk was the embodiment of player development and was rewarded for his accomplishments. His career is far from over, and he'll have a long trek ahead.

It’s a business, which means the 49ers will look for replacements. They might already be on the roster. Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing will play a larger role moving forward. The Niners could also look at potential trade targets on the market.

Click here to read article