San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk got told off by his coach Kyle Shanahan at practice and responded by throwing a public tantrum over the smallest possible issue. Drama ensued as the diva WR had to strip down to his underwear in the middle of the field and the whole thing was caught on video.
Brandon Aiyuk shorts controversy
With the defending NFC Champions off to a torrid 1-2 start to the 2024 season, the last thing they needed was to add non-football problems into the mix.
Shanahan called out Aiyuk for being the only player at practice who did not show up in the right uniform. His red shorts did not match the rest of the team in black, despite the fact that everyone else seemed to get the memo.
The 26-year-old cooperated with his angry coach, but did so like a toddler, making a scene while he changed in the middle of the field with everyone watching. Niners fans pointed out that he was causing an unnecessary problem because he had the correct pair of shorts with him, which he could have worn in the first place.
Aiyuk struggling amid 49ers injuries
Aiyuk has a reputation as a trouble maker and an attention seeker after his tumultuous offseason standoff with the 49ers front office over a new contract. At first, he demanded a trade because of doubts over his role in an offense that also included Christian McCaffery, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle.
Eventually, they settled on a 4-year, $120 million deal before the season started, but as the video from practice shows, it has not stopped his antics. The entire team has struggled in the first three games, but there is an undercurrent of tension with Aiyuk in particular given his monster contract.
With McCaffery, Samuel and Kittle missing games due to injuries, Aiyuk has not stepped up in the way Shanahan expected, much less while being paid like one of the best wide receivers in the league. Aiyuk has managed just 11 catches for 119 yards through the first three games, although he has faced a lot more attention from opposing defenses.
Reasonable fans will hope that the overblown practice video is forgotten about by the time the 49ers face the New England Patriots on Sunday, but Aiyuk’s performance will undoubtedly be monitored more closely now.
First things first, he better show up in the right uniform.
