Brandon Aiyuk suggests he’s not above playing hardball in 49ers negotiations

The San Francisco 49ers’ relationship with star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is in a bit of a rough patch.

The two sides have been working toward a new contract but things appear to be in a bit of a standoff as the 26-year-old wideout has shown no interest in playing on his $14.124 million fifth-year option — something general manager John Lynch appears to be completely fine with.

However, during a recent appearance on the “Nightcap” podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Aiyuk didn’t shy away from the fact that getting paid is the most important thing for him this offseason.

“I'm trying to get what I deserve,” Aiyuk said. “…If they don't see the worth in that [makes a walking motion with hands], that's all it is. It ain't nothing else besides that. I can't get into it. We got professionals working on both sides, so hopefully, we can come to a professional agreement and continue playing professional football.”

Aiyuk, as well as his friends and family, have been spearheading a social media onslaught to put pressure on the 49ers to get a deal done.