Try as some fans might, it’s tough to try to portray an owner who spent an NFL-high $334 million on players (actual cash, not salary-cap dollars) in 2024 as a penny-pincher.
It’s even tougher to make the case that York got his money’s worth.
Aiyuk, who predictably got off to a slow start before suffering a season-ending knee injury in mid-October, serves as a classic case of buyer’s remorse; as my colleague Dianna Russini and I reported last week, the 49ers are open to trading him this offseason. Last week, the 49ers agreed to deal another high-priced wide receiver, Deebo Samuel, to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round draft pick. It’s all part of a natural reordering after York watched big-ticket players such as edge rusher Nick Bosa, left tackle Trent Williams and running back Christian McCaffrey underwhelm — due to injury or lack of productivity — during what one coach described as a “season from hell.”