Peyton Manning Criticized Brandon Aiyuk For Costly Drop in First Half vs. Jets

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk didn’t have the best first half in Week 1 in what was his first appearance for the team since signing his four-year, $120 million contract and ending his offseason holdout.

Perhaps dealing with some rust, Aiyuk failed to secure a couple of passes from Brock Purdy, including a drop in the end zone on a pass he really should’ve hauled in.

Purdy’s pass was nearly perfect, as he led Aiyuk into the corner of the end zone and gave him enough space to make a play. For a player of his caliber, one would expect the star wide receiver to turn that into six points, but he ultimately was unable to reel it in.

Peyton Manning, who was watching along on the ManningCast with his brother Eli and guest Bill Belichick, was among those who were in disbelief by Aiyuk’s drop, and he unloaded on the star wideout on the air.

“Get signed, get in training camp. There’s a reason for training camp. You need it. You need the reps. Get those contract done earlier so we can get in training camp and we don’t drop balls on opening night,” said Manning. “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. Get signed, get in camp and we don’t drop the ball.”

Peyton Manning unloads on Brandon Aiyuk sitting out camp after that dropped TD pic.twitter.com/cZEbzZS6Vj

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) September 10, 2024Aiyuk caught just one of his first four targets in the game for 14 yards, but it was the throws that he failed to catch that stood out to fans, who couldn’t help but wonder if his lack of participation in training camp and practice during the offseason was having an impact.

What a throw by Brock Purdy pic.twitter.com/OD7ctK6xv0

— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) September 10, 2024Purdy can’t throw it any better than that

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) September 10, 2024Aiyuk … gotta make that!

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 10, 2024BA has to have that one!

— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) September 10, 2024That’s two drops tonight. Little rusty

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) September 10, 2024That’s the second time Brandon Aiyuk has dropped a Brock Purdy MVP throw in that corner of the end zone

— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 10, 2024