Aiyuk focused on returning to form after rusty 49ers return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SANTA CLARA — Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk admits he was not exactly eager to re-watch the 49ers’ season-opener against the New York Jets.
“After the game, I didn’t watch the film until this morning,” Aiyuk said on Wednesday afternoon. “I was a little scared to watch it. But it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”
Aiyuk played 43 snaps or 60 percent of the 49ers’ offensive plays in the team’s 32-19 victory over the Jets on Monday night.
“I thought he did a good job,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He never felt like he wasn’t conditioned. We rotated him more than usual, which definitely helped.”
Aiyuk caught two passes for 28 yards, but did not hold onto a couple of other chances.
New York cornerback Sauce Gardner stripped one pass from Aiyuk’s grasp to break up an on-target throw from Brock Purdy.
Then, in the seconds before the end of the first half, Aiyuk could not haul in a pass in the right back corner of the end zone.
“It was a dime,” Aiyuk said of Purdy’s pass.
The ball slipped through Aiyuk’s hands as he began to leave his feet in his attempt to secure the catch. Aiyuk said his reluctance to re-watch the game was, “in part,” because of the one touchdown that got away.
Now, it’s onto Week 2 for Aiyuk and the 49ers as they get ready to face the Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers went through a half-speed practice on Wednesday, and have their only high-tempo on-field work scheduled for Thursday.
Aiyuk said he would be focused on making every practice repetition count this week as he looks to knock off the rust from his training camp hold-in. Aiyuk did not practice this summer while his contract situation remained unresolved.
Aiyuk finally agreed to his five-year, $134.1 million contract with the 49ers on Aug. 29.
“We got a short week this week, so it’s being deliberate today and tomorrow and leading all the way up to the game,” he said.
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