Brandon Aiyuk out for the season

    Written by: Alex Gonzalez •

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    Brandon Aiyuk out for the season

    Brandon Aiyuk's season for the Niners is over.

    The star wide receiver suffered a season-ending knee injury in yesterday's 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Tests confirmed today that Aiyuk tore both his ACL and MCL, along with possibly more damage to his knee; the receiver will get surgery soon.

    Aiyuk was injured after catching a ball over the middle of the field late in the first half. His knee buckled as he was hit hard and taken down. Aiyuk remained on the field for quite a while before walking off the field on his own power into the blue medical tent. He was eventually carted off the field and ruled out of the game. HC Kyle Shanahan feared an ACL injury after the game concluded, and he was proven right today.

    Aiyuk signed a four-year, $120 million dollar contract extension with the team in the offseason, but it wasn't without some drama. The receiver held out for the entire offseason and most of the preseason, searching for a long-term deal with the organization. Multiple trade rumors and viral social media posts made the offseason challenging for Aiyuk and the Niners, to say the least.

    Aiyuk, 26, will finish this season with career lows in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns as the receiver was unable to find the endzone this season. The first-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft had his best season last year, totaling 1,342 receiving yards and an average of 17.9 yards per reception. Aiyuk's efforts helped lead the Niners back to the Super Bowl, where they just fell short of winning a championship.

    This injury is another challenge the Niners will face this season. Star running back Christian McCaffrey has been out for the entire season, dealing with a calf and Achilles injuries. Star receiver Deebo Samuel only played a handful of snaps before being ruled out with an illness. Along with rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, he just made his season debut after missing the first six games because he was shot in the chest during a robbery just before the season began.

    The reigning NFC Champion Niners are now 3-4 in the young season, their worst start since 2021. However, the 2021 team made it to the NFC Championship game, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Rams 20-17. With no Aiyuk and the team still banged up, they host the Dallas Cowboys next week with a chance to get back to .500.

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