San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch made news Thursday when he said wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was “not close” to returning from the knee injury he suffered in Week 7 last season.

The quote made rounds and indicated that there may be some issue that keeps Aiyuk out well beyond the vague Week 6 timeline head coach Kyle Shanahan gave during the preseason. Shanahan on Friday was asked about Lynch’s update and provided some clarity on Aiyuk’s return timeline by saying there’s nothing firm in terms of weeks until he comes back.

Advertisement

“No, I think it’s more like when we get kind of an exact target date,” Shanahan said. “That’s when you look at it that way. I think we’re getting close to that. But just not to have a target date is that’s when I start thinking about it and we don’t have that yet. So, we’re waiting until they give us one.”

Shanahan in mid-August threw out Week 6 as a possible timeline for Aiyuk’s return while lumping him in with a group of players the 49ers have who are recovering from knee injuries. That likely spurred the question leading into Week 4, but it’s worth noting Shanahan pointed to multiple dates at the time.

“With where they’re at, I always see them around Week 6, which means that could be Week 10, means it could be Week 5, but that’s the area where I start thinking about it, which is a long way away,” Shanahan said. “I know it’s not Week 1 or anything like that, so it’s something I’m not really thinking about too much.”

Aiyuk suffered ACL and MCL tears along with additional damage in his knee. For him to return less than a year from the injury was probably ambitious, so to hear he’s “not close” doesn’t come as a surprise. It’s also not a sign that the 2023 All-Pro suffered any kind of setback. He had a significant knee injury that the team isn’t in a hurry to bring him back from.

Advertisement

There’s a chance his absence lasts well beyond Week 6, but the bigger deal for the 49ers is that they get a healthy version of Aiyuk whenever he does come back.

More 49ers: 49ers avoid QB calamity, but may have problem at WR in Week 4

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Kyle Shanahan clarifies Brandon Aiyuk’s possible return timeline