Peyton Manning left it to Brandon Aiyuk on Monday night.
The Hall of Famer sharply criticized the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver for dropping the pass that would have been Aiyuk’s first touchdown of the season shortly before halftime of their 32-19 win over the New York Jets on Monday.
With 15 seconds left in the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy threw what seemed like a perfect pass to Aiyuk in the corner of the end zone. Ayiuk dove to catch the ball, but it flew right through his hands.
Even though it wasn’t the easiest move in the world, Aiyuk should make it more often.
“There’s a reason for training camp! You need it! We need the reps!” Manning said, visibly frustrated, while speaking with his brother Eli and former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on their alternate broadcast of the game on ESPN2.
“Sign the contracts early so we can go to training camp and you don’t screw anything up on opening night.”
Aiyuk spent seemingly the entire offseason looking for a new contract with the 49ers. Although he finally reached a four-year, $120 million extension with the franchise late last month, he stayed away from training camp and at one point submitted a transfer request – which nearly resulted in him being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He even admitted that he “made it a little harder than necessary” in his contract negotiations, although he did end up getting his deal.
Aiyuk also only practiced with the team for the first time this fall last Tuesday. While Aiyuk certainly practiced on his own before rejoining his teammates, Manning believes the quality wasn’t nearly good enough.
“You’re still catching balls on a high school field with a quarterback who’s 45 years old, my age. You’re not catching balls from your quarterback,” Manning said. “Get signed, come to training camp, and we won’t drop the ball!”
Aiyuk had 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns on 75 catches last season, helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl. The 26-year-old will begin his fifth season in the league this fall.
While he’s sure to settle in and get going eventually, his 2024 season is off to a slow start. In the 49ers’ 13-point win over the Jets, he managed 28 yards on two catches and was targeted five times.
