NFL Tells Brandon Aiyuk He Must Pay 49ers $13m to Play Again

A former National Football League (NFL) star has reportedly been told to pay $13 million in order to play again.

Week 9 of the 2026 NFL campaign started on Thursday night, with the Jacksonville Jaguars beating the Baltimore Ravens 33-10 at the M&T Bank Stadium.

This weekend, the action will continue with an international match between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons, taking place at the Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain.

Meanwhile, the likes of the Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs will also be in action. The San Francisco 49ers will be taking on the Las Vegas Raiders, but the franchise has found itself in the headlines for off-field reasons this week.

NFL Star Ordered to Pay $13 Million Before Reinstatement

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This week, it was reported by Bleacher Report that 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk has been ordered to pay the team $13 million in previously received bonus payments if he wants to be reinstated to the team’s roster.

Aiyuk, 28, joined the 49ers in 2020 and in 2024 signed a $120 million contract extension. In October 2024, Aiyuk tore the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee and hasn’t played an NFL game since then.

As per ESPN, the 49ers then decided to ‘void $27 million in remaining guarantees in his contract in July 2025 because he didn’t attend rehab check-ins on the knee, he stopped showing up at the team facility and landed on the reserve/left-team list in December’.

The American failed to report for the offseason programme and training camp after he was left on the left-team list; it is believed that the only way Aiyuk will play again is for him to apply for reinstatement with the NFL and report to the 49ers.

However, the NFL have reportedly told Aiyuk that he needs to pay the eight-figure sum to the 49ers if he wants to be reinstated.

Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports

Aiyuk has hired a new agent, in the form of Drew Rosenhaus as he continues his plan to return to the NFL.

On Friday afternoon at the team’s office, Rosenhaus said: “Brandon is here to meet with the team. Fortunately he’s feeling good physically. He’s healthy, he’s ready to get back to work.

“I don’t really have any comment about where he’s going to play. We’ll keep that between us and the Niners but obviously we’re here with all the right intentions.”

Meanwhile, Aiyuk has insisted: “I’m feeling great, feeling healthy. Long recovery process, long rehab process.

“But I’m back to 100 percent and looking to get reinstated into the National Football League.”