Saying the San Francisco 49ers signed Brandon Aiyuk on the eleventh hour could be the understatement of the 12 months. In the course of the Fox Sports activities broadcast for the NFL, Jay Glazer had a report {that a} commerce was simply moments away from being finalized with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And by moments, we imply mere moments.
“The day it really obtained finished, the 49ers had been buying and selling him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was already en route there. After which all of the sudden Brandon Aiyuk occurred to indicate up early to the power that day. Went downstairs making an attempt to satisfy with Kyle Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan was making an attempt to get in contact with the entrance workplace, however they couldn’t take his name as a result of they had been making an attempt to get the commerce finished to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“So Shanahan actaully ran all the best way upstairs, stated, ‘maintain this, let’s put a maintain on these commerce talks proper now. Pittsburgh we’ll name you proper again.” They went down and talked to Aiyuk for about two hours and stated, ‘look you may have till the tip of apply, we’re both buying and selling you to Pittsburgh at this time or you may take the deal that’s been on the desk, it’s as much as you, however you may have till the tip of apply.’
“He [Aiyuk] says, ‘that is the place I wish to be.’ Brandon Aiyuk stays a 49er.”
Shortly after information of the Aiyuk deal broke, Adam Schefter reported that the settlement was the identical because the one provided on August 12. Given what Glazer is saying, that lends some credibility to it. Schefter was referred to as out by Aiyuk’s agent for the report being “factually inaccurate,” however the inaccuracy appears to be the date Schefter initially had as August 10.
Saying this got here all the way down to the wire isn’t even correct. This was all the way down to the ultimate thread of that wire, as all others had been lower. I want I may have a look at Kyle Shanahan getting a busy sign from the entrance workplace after which sprinting by the power making an attempt to get to them and say to carry off on the Pittsburgh deal.
So far as the Steelers had been involved. What we knew of them was nothing they provided the 49ers was passable. Aiyuk’s deal was proper within the neighborhood of the 49ers’ supply. There was a report days earlier than the deal by Michael Silver indicating that the Steelers and the Washington Commanders could possibly be again within the combine. Nonetheless, all indicators indicated that the 49ers and Aiyuk had resumed negotiations.
If that is any indication, the 49ers mainly had had sufficient of the staredown and had been ready to deal Aiyuk. Whether or not it’s as a result of Pittsburgh had a greater supply on the final minute, the entrance workplace had sufficient of coping with all the factor, or each. Aiyuk admitted he made the entire thing more durable than it wanted to be.
We’ll in all probability get some extra info on what occurred in these remaining moments all through the season, however even after being completed, the Brandon Aiyuk saga continues to be fascinating.
Solely the 49ers may have an offseason storyline like this.