“I’m doing everything in my power to keep our roster together.” The San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch said this when the tensions between the team and Brandon Aiyuk first began. However, the talks have now reached a point that neither Lynch expected nor Aiyuk wanted.

Aiyuk is entering the final year of his contract and is set to earn $14.1 million in 2024. However, as he has officially requested for trade, and given the circumstances that the 49ers couldn’t make a negotiation with him, Lynch’s wish of keeping the WR failed. Additionally, there were reports that Lynch and the Niners are looking to keep Aiyuk for monetary gains and not because he’s a good receiver. But anyways, he and the team have no option left other than trading Aiyuk. And now that Aiyuk and the 49ers are looking for a perfect team to talk to in trade regards, Colin Cowherd posed a warning to the 26-year-old.

Brandon Aiyuk will be nowhere if he commits this mistake!

In a recent episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd on August 8, 2024, the host gave a warning to Brandon Aiyuk about his choice of picking his next home. At present, the wide receiver’s potential spot is speculated to be that of the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Cowherd pointed out, “Brandon Aiyuk will never play in his career if he leaves San Francisco with a better offensive coach. Mike Tomlin is not a better, better coach at getting receivers open.” Additionally, he highlighted a similar situation that happened with Deion Branch in 2006 with the early Patriots.

Branch, a talented receiver and Super Bowl MVP, was in a similar spot-seeking a second, bigger contract while still under his first one. However, the Patriots were already investing in other players and couldn’t meet his demands. Consequently, Branch ended up leaving for Seattle, but things didn’t go as planned for him. Why, you ask? Because the Patriots continued winning Super Bowls without him. With this, Cowherd’s message to Aiyuk was clear: sometimes chasing a bigger payday can backfire, especially when you’re already part of a winning team.

The 49ers are currently the NFC champions, the Super Bowl runner-up, and have arguably a good offensive system in the league. Hence, leaving it and going to the Steelers, who haven’t won the Super Bowl since 2010, could be a bad choice that might end his prowess, as he could become Davante Adams (who lost his fame in Raiders after Packers) or Tyreek Hill (who too lost his prowess in Miami after the Chiefs’ exit). According to Cowherd, Aiyuk might become “a little richer (after a trade), but far less relevant when the games matter.”

Nevertheless, he has decided to leave Santa Carla, and has shown interest in Pittsburgh.

Will Brandon Aiyuk wear the Steelers’ jersey?

The Steelers’ interest in acquiring Brandon Aiyuk has become one of the most talked-about topics in the NFL. However, despite all the buzz, there hasn’t been a concrete deal finalized yet. The discussions between the Steelers and the 49ers are ongoing, but the main issue seems to be the compensation package. According to the reports, the 49ers aren’t happy with what the Steelers are currently offering and are looking for a player to be included in the deal. Reports from sources like The Athletic and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette indicate that no players are expected to be part of the trade at this time, and there’s no verbal agreement in place. Hence, the problem.

The 49ers have reportedly shown interest in getting a wide receiver in return, possibly George Pickens, but insiders like ESPN’s Adam Schefter have made it clear that Pittsburgh is not willing to part with Pickens or tight end Pat Freiermuth. With Pickens still on a rookie contract and showing promise, it’s unlikely that the Steelers would trade him for another wide receiver, even one as talented as Aiyuk.

While negotiations haven’t completely broken down, it’s clear that the discussions of trade between the three parties (49ers, Aiyuk, and Steelers) have reportedly reached a standstill.

How do you think the future will pan out for Aiyuk? let us know in the comments below!