Brandon Aiyuk’s offseason and preseason mostly consisted of a contract stand-off with the San Francisco 49ers. Peyton Manning wishes it consisted of a little bit more practice.
Late in the first half of the Monday Night Football matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets, the Niners were driving towards the endzone with a chance to extend their 13-7 lead. With 16 seconds remaining, quarterback Brock Purdy dropped back to pass from the 14-year-line and floated a perfect corner ball that a diving Aiyuk could have easily caught and secured a crucial touchdown.
Instead, the ball dropped right through his hands and hit the ground as an incompletion. Peyton Manning, watching the play on the ManningCast alongside Eli Manning and Bill Belichick, was beside himself over the drop.
Peyton Manning FIRED UP about Brandon Aiyuk’s dropped pass in the endzone. #ManningCast pic.twitter.com/OYBn8bMZKv
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 10, 2024
“Get signed. Get in training camp. There’s a reason for training camp. You need it. We need the reps,” said Manning. “Get those contracts done earlier so he can get in training camp [so] we don’t drop balls on opening night.”
Eli added his two cents on the matter but Peyton only used the moment to get fired up all over again.
“You’re still catching balls at a high school field from some quarterback that’s 45 years old, my age. You’re not catching balls from your quarterback,” he said. “Get signed, get in camp, and we don’t drop the ball.”
Spoken like a true quarterback.
The 49ers had to settle for a field goal and took a 16-7 lead into the locker room. We’ll see if that dropped touchdown comes back to haunt them. Either way, we have a feeling Peyton isn’t going to let it go.
