Add The California Post on Google Brandon Aiyuk has spent weeks trying to control the message. Mark Schlereth is not buying the victim act.
The former NFL offensive lineman and three-time Super Bowl champion delivered a blistering message to the San Francisco 49ers receiver after Aiyuk’s latest social media outburst directed at the franchise.
“Here’s a little piece of advice for you,” Schlereth said, according to a clip shared on X by Coach Yac. “You are exactly where you are because of the sh*tty decisions that you’ve made. You are not a victim. It is not anybody else’s fault. The San Francisco 49ers didn’t conspire against you to ruin your career. You are where you are because of your stupidity. Just admit it, embrace it, and move forward with it.”
The comments came after Aiyuk posted a lengthy Instagram video accusing the 49ers of being afraid to let him go. In the clip, Aiyuk suggested San Francisco knows he can still play at a high level and does not want to watch him succeed somewhere else.
“The truth is they scared,” Aiyuk said. “What they’re not going to say is, ‘BA sucks at football,’ because they know how I get.”
Aiyuk has also fueled speculation about Washington by posting photos in Commanders gear, making his preferred destination fairly obvious. The problem is that San Francisco still controls his rights, and the team has shown little urgency to release him.
The standoff has only grown messier. Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million extension in 2024 before suffering a serious knee injury that included ACL and MCL damage. He missed the 2025 season, later landed on the reserve/left squad list, and reportedly forfeited guaranteed money after failing to attend mandatory rehab sessions.
Adding another layer, an arrest warrant was recently issued in Santa Clara County tied to an alleged speeding incident. That development has made Aiyuk’s public campaign for sympathy an even harder sell.
There is no denying what Aiyuk was before the fallout. In 2023, he caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, ranking among the NFL’s most efficient receivers. That version of Aiyuk would interest plenty of teams.
But Schlereth’s point was not about talent. It was about accountability.
The 49ers may be dragging this out. The Commanders may be waiting for San Francisco to blink. Aiyuk may still believe he can punish everyone on the field once he gets free.
But for now, Schlereth’s message was simple: stop acting like all of this is happening to you.
