49ers' Aiyuk Admits to Tough Negotiations, but Glad to Have Contract

After a rocky negotiation period, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He now reflects on the challenging process.

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49ers' Aiyuk Admits to Tough Negotiations, but Glad to Have Contract

After a tumultuous negotiation period, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has inked a four-year, $120 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers, ensuring his long-term future with the team. Reflecting on the challenging process, Aiyuk admitted to reporters that he made things "a little more difficult than [he] needed to" towards the end.

"I'm not going to lie, I made it a little more difficult than I needed to at the end," Aiyuk said with a smile during a press conference on Tuesday, via NBC Sports Bay Area.

49ers' Aiyuk Admits to Tough Negotiations, but Glad to Have Contract

Despite the occasional hiccups, Aiyuk emphasized that the negotiations had been "pretty good" for the most part. "It was like — I'm not going to say the entire time, but for about the past month I think we were pretty good," he added.

The contract extension comes as a relief for both Aiyuk and the 49ers, who were facing the possibility of a holdout or even a trade request from the talented wide receiver. However, general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan managed to bridge the gap with Aiyuk's camp, securing his services for the foreseeable future.

Aiyuk's new contract is a testament to his growing status within the 49ers organization and the NFL. In his three seasons with the team, he has emerged as a reliable target for quarterback Brock Purdy, averaging over 700 receiving yards and six touchdowns per campaign.

During the negotiations, Aiyuk attributed the occasional disagreements on numbers to his personal assessment of his own worth. "Just trying to make sure that we got to the right spot," he explained. "Just trying to make sure that everything was covered and make sure that we were good on both sides."

Ultimately, Aiyuk's desire to remain with the 49ers prevailed. "I wanted to be in this position that I'm in right now, standing here, talking to you all," he said. "But every day was different. In negotiations, every day is different. [I was] just following my heart and myself in each day and that led to today."

The 49ers are now well-positioned to make another run at the Vince Lombardi Trophy in 2024, with a roster that includes Aiyuk, All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, and a promising young core. The reigning NFC champions will open their season against the New York Jets on "Monday Night Football" next week.

* Aiyuk was a first-round pick by the 49ers in the 2020 NFL Draft.

* He has recorded 168 receptions for 2,396 yards and 17 touchdowns in his three seasons with the 49ers.

* Aiyuk has been a key contributor to the 49ers' success in recent years, helping the team reach the NFC Championship Game in 2021 and 2022.