Drew Rosenhaus is on the verge of saving Brandon Aiyuk’s NFL career.
Rosenhaus has represented the enigmatic wide receiver only a couple of weeks and already the prolific NFL agent has moved the stagnant relationship between the player and the San Francisco 49ers toward a solution no one thought likely a month ago.
It’s stunning what can happen when someone who knows what they’re doing steps between two parties locked in an otherwise frosty, emotional and almost hostile relationship.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS COACH SHUTS DOWN REUNION TALKS AS BRANDON AIYUK SEEKS NFL REINSTATEMENT
Brandon Aiyuk (11) of the San Francisco 49ers looks on from the field prior to the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Detroit Lions at Levi’s Stadium on Jan. 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Aiyuk had been on the Niners’ reserve/left squad list since December of 2025 and during that time he did and said some really dumb things that angered the team. And the team responded in kind by basically refusing to engage with the player and portraying him as a quitter.
But with Rosenhaus now on his side, Aiyuk found himself reinstated by the NFL on Monday after he reported for a physical, according to the league’s transaction wire.
The Niners have received from the NFL a two-game roster exemption to sort through their business with Aiyuk, which includes either a trade or release. The club has zero intention of welcoming Aiyuk back onto its roster.
“It means absolutely nothing to our team,” coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday.
Sports agent Drew Rosenhaus stands on the sidelines before the NFC Championship Game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., on Jan. 26, 2025. (USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con)
That’s fine with Rosenhaus, who got Aiyuk to meet with the Niners at the team’s business offices last week, a mini-summit that lasted maybe 75 minutes and was monitored by media both on the ground and via helicopter overflight.
The scene was crazy — like much of this saga before Rosenhaus entered the picture.
It’s unclear whether Aiyuk agreed to refund some or all the past bonus money to the 49ers in exchange for his reinstatement. The Niners have reportedly wanted to get that money back or trade Aiyuk as a way of getting something for what so far has been practically nothing in the way of performance.
With Rosenhaus on his side, Aiyuk now seems likely to find his way onto a roster in the coming months after not playing an NFL game since October 2024 when he blew out multiple ligaments and the meniscus in his right knee.
That’s quite a dramatic turn of events.
Myles Garrett of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 11, 2026. (Getty Images)
The best Myles Garrett plays while protecting a lead
Myles Garrett is back for the Los Angeles Rams and he’s going to be a problem.
You might say he’s been a problem for the NFL because he’s a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, but the point of that trade the Rams made with the Cleveland Browns in the offseason was to bring a player who could close games for them when they had a lead and the other club had to throw the football.
THE WEEK OF THE BACKUP QB IN THE NFL KICKS OFF AS SANDERS, MILTON, MINSHEW, LOCK, AND WENTZ START
The Browns didn’t give Garrett the luxury of those late-game leads for much of his time with that team. The Rams, who actually have a functional offense when everyone’s healthy, will provide Garrett that huge advantage.
“I am that closer,” Garrett said after he delivered three sacks and a forced fumble against the Washington Commanders. “I am that closer. We don’t need to look any further. I was born that way.
“Some people got it, some people don’t. Some people have to train for it, I was born with it. I’ve only continued to own it along the way.”
Sirianni fired two years removed from Super Bowl win?
The same Philadelphia Eagles fan base who cheered Nick Sirianni in February of 2025 when he won the Super Bowl, booed him off the field on Sunday after a loss to the New York Giants.
There was a question on Monday whether Sirianni reacted to the treatment by offering the fans a one-finger salute.
“Absolutely not,” Sirianni said. “That was a surprise to me. But absolutely not.”
This is, of course, stunning.
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni reacts against the Chicago Bears during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., on Nov. 28, 2025. (Getty Images)
Sirianni’s Eagles have lost seven consecutive games — some because of coaching, some because of the makeup of Sirianni’s staff, and some because of talent and injury-related reasons.
But the idea there are questions about whether Sirianni will last the team’s current bye week two seasons after winning it all boggles the mind.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew II is sacked by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Tyrus Wheat and defensive tackle Lt. Overton in the first half at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Aug. 22, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Irredeemable Cowboys defensive coaching
The Dallas Cowboys hope they can salvage this season and Sunday’s victory over the Indianapolis Colts is supposed to be some sort of statement that might be possible.
But, no.
Not possible.
The Cowboys have a coaching problem that has failed in the discipline department – which is the reason the team is tied for second in most penalties – and on defense.
Here’s a fact: The Cowboys’ week after week see opposing offenses play better against them than other teams.
The last four weeks the Bucs, Packers, Eagles and Cardinals scored more points against the Cowboys than they did the very next week against whatever team they faced.
New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy (18) throws a pass during a game between the New York Giants and the Houston Texans in Houston, TX. ..Trask Smith/CSM/Sipa USA (Credit Image: © Trask Smith/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA) (Trask Smith/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA)
Quarterbacks on the move
- It’s Carson Beck time with the Arizona Cardinals following ESPN’s report on Monday that Gardner Minshew will likely need season-ending surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right (throwing) elbow. And here’s a prediction: By the time this season is over, we’ll see Beck as the most optimism-creating quarterback to start games for the Cardinals this season.
- The Giants breathed a sigh of relief Sunday when J.J. McCarthy was able to return to the game against the Eagles after leaving with a hip injury. The team didn’t practice on Monday, coach John Harbaugh said the team believes McCarthy will be well enough to play against the Washington Commanders on Thursday night. And here’s a statement of how far McCarthy has come in his month with the team: Fans are celebrating he can play and the club doesn’t have to rely on Jameis Winston, who is a fan favorite but not anything other than an inconsistent backup.
FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO