49ers preparing for stunning split with star receiver Brandon Aiyuk (paywall)
“It’s now likely that he has played his last game with the franchise, according to numerous sources briefed on the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation. Some in the organization are holding out hope that the relationship can be salvaged enough for him to return this season. However, multiple sources believe that a reconciliation is unlikely….Aiyuk, sources say, has failed to attend meetings and declined to participate in other team activities in recent months, and the 49ers have grown increasingly frustrated with...

We are at the one-year and one-month point since San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk last played a game. When Aiyuk was placed on the PUP list this past July, the thought was that he could return at some point in the second half, and maybe even the first half, had he fully recovered.

There were reasons to be optimistic, as this video of Aiyuk was in August:

Dianna Russini and Mike Silver of The Athletic, “It now appears that Aiyuk and the 49ers are headed for a stunning divorce.”

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco confirmed the report,...

The Carolina Panthers held a conference call for their former running back, Christian McCaffrey, who is currently putting up an Offensive Player of the Year season with the San Francisco 49ers.

McCaffrey was first asked whether he thought there was ever a possibility of him being traded during a down season:

“In this league, everything is a possibility at all times. There’s no guarantees. Ever. I’ve gotten to that point and mindset in my career that I’m blessed to be on the field whenever I am. It’s a business. I was fortunate enough to grow up in the business....

Monday night’s game has massive NFC playoff implications for the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers. The obvious recent connection between the two organizations is the trade for Christian McCaffrey, who will face his former team for the first time. If not for an unfortunate hamstring injury, we could also be talking about an Eddy Piniero revenge game. Either way, the 49ers and Panthers have met 23 times, with the Panthers holding a 13-10 advantage. Will the 49ers draw closer on Monday, or will the Panthers extend their lead in the all-time series?

Here are some highlights from the 49ers/Panthers...

San Francisco 49ers fans have long wondered why the team doesn’t invest more in its offensive line. Trent Williams has taken most of the allotted funds with his $82 million contract.

Outside of Williams, the 49ers are rotating their left guards Spencer Burford and Ben Bartch, two free agents this offseason making under a combined $5 million. Center, and public enemy No. 1 Jake Brendel, is under contract through 2026. His base salary in 2025 is $3.15 million. Dominick Puni was drafted in the third round in 2024. He’s on a rookie contract. Right tackle Colton McKivitz earned an extension,...

The San Francisco 49ers made a big splash this offseason when they hired Robert Saleh to be the team’s defensive coordinator after he was fired from the New York Jets.

Saleh had been the Jets head coach since 2021 and had seen ups and downs during his tenure, which was primarily hampered by quarterback play. After interviewing for head coaching opportunities this offseason, Saleh returned to the 49ers as their defensive coordinator.

Through the first 11 weeks, he’s been dealt a rough hand with a young, developing team facing a number of key injuries. Still, he’s managed to make the...

The San Francisco 49ers are getting ready to take on the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football this week, looking to stack consecutive wins for the first time since Week 3.

San Francisco is coming off a 41-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals in a game that they dominated from the start, while the Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-27 in overtime on the road last weekend, thanks to 448 passing yards from quarterback Bryce Young.

The Panthers have had some ups and downs this year, starting the season 1-3 before rattling off three consecutive victories, including a 30-27 win...

Who will be Kyle Shanahan’s QB reclamation project next year? 49ers mailbag (paywall)
“The 49ers were sniffing around O’Connell before the 2023 draft. He’s still got one more year on his rookie contract, and the Raiders would have to release him for him to be available. But if they did, he’d make sense for San Francisco.

A bigger fish would be Zach Wilson, who was drafted one pick ahead of Trey Lance in 2021 and who’s scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. The 49ers took a long look at Wilson that year because they were shopping for quarterbacks. He’s...

It was a shorter injury list for the San Francisco 49ers. Since it’s a Monday game, today is their “Wednesday” on the practice schedule. Here’s a look at the injury report for Thursday:

Won’t practice:

DE Robert Beal (concussion)
LB Tatum Bethune (ankle)
Eddy Pineiro (hamstring)

Limited:

LB Luke Gifford (hip/neck)

Kyle Shanahan said he’s “expecting a full-go guy who gets better each week” about Brock Purdy.

Shanahan has not asked whether linebacker Fred Warner will be back in time for the playoffs. He said he does not keep up on the injuries that aren’t week to week: “I’m sure...

Monday night’s matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers has massive playoff implications. When the schedule was released, very few would believe the Week 12 matchup would have so much on the line, but that is how close the NFC has been in 2025. A victory for the 49ers would increase their playoff probability from 85% to 91%, but a loss would drop them to 69%. The Panthers’ playoff probability is 19% and a win increases their chances to 33% while a loss drops them to 13%.

Both teams are coming off victories, and the Panthers are an...

The San Francisco 49ers haven’t been favored in a game by more than 3.5 points all season. That’s not a complete surprise, as Mac Jones was the starter for much of the season, and he played multiple games without George Kittle, let alone the slew of other injuries that occurred along the way.

Now that Brock Purdy is back, along with Ricky Pearsall, with a competent offensive line, oddsmakers are expecting the Niners’ offense to win comfortably against the Carolina Panthers. For the first time this season, they are favored by a touchdown. The 49ers are seven-point favorites, with the...

In 2017, the Carolina Panthers selected Christian McCaffrey with the eighth overall pick. Those from the Bay Area were familiar with McCaffrey’s excellence in college. As a sophomore, McCaffrey ran for over 2000 yards and had over 640 receiving yards, totaling 13 touchdowns. As a junior, in three fewer games, McCaffrey had over 1,600 rushing yards and over 300 receiving yards, with a whopping 16 total touchdowns.

Fast forward to 2022, when Carolina decided to move off their star running back. McCaffrey’s injury history had been consistent as a pro. He missed six games in September 2020 with a high-ankle...