SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco star receiver Brandon Aiyuk wasn’t at the start of practice on Wednesday despite the team saying he was cleared by doctors to participate, raising the temperature of a contract “hold in” that has been a cloud over the 49ers since the offseason.
Aiyuk had refused to practice all training camp as he seeks a long-term extension or a possible trade, with coach Kyle Shanahan citing a back injury as the official reason for what is essentially a contract dispute.