There’s a target for Brandon Aiyuk's return, but it’s a moving one.
Aiyuk, who missed the final 10 games of the 2024 season after tearing his ACL and MCL, is aiming to return to the field by Week 6 of the 2025 regular season, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday.
Shanahan underscored that it’s a fluid situation and there’s a range of games Aiyuk could be back for, but as of now, he’s on track to return for an Oct. 12 tilt at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers going by the schedule.
"I don't know what I've said in the past, but I kind of view all those guys around the same time. Whether it's [safety Malik] Mustapha, whether it’s [quarterback Kurtis] Rourke, or whether it’s Brandon. They're all different stages. With where they're at, I always see them around Week 6, which means that could be Week 10, means it could be Week 5, but that's the area where I start thinking about it, which is a long way away," Shanahan said, via team transcript, when asked specifically about Aiyuk. "I know it's not Week 1 or anything like that, so it's something I'm not really thinking about too much.”
Though it's clearly not a hard deadline for Aiyuk, it's the most significant given by the team, with Shanahan saying back in July that his wideout was progressing well, but that there was no timetable.
Aiyuk, 27, is heading into his sixth season after he was taken by San Francisco in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
This is his second straight training camp in which he’s been missing in action, though.
Following back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Aiyuk held in during camp in 2024 seeking a new deal -- and amid trade requests. He secured his extension, but struggled during his abbreviated 2024 campaign, posting just 374 yards and zero touchdowns on 25 receptions before hurting his knee in a Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now, the hope is he’ll be ready to go for Week 6 of this year, but only time and the progress of his knee will tell.