Jerry Rice reveals where 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk can improve his game
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk led the San Francisco 49ers with 84 receiving yards on six receptions against the Los Angeles Chargers defense. It was his fourth consecutive game of 81-or-more receiving yards as the wideout continues to be on pace for his first 1,000-yard NFL season.
There were mistakes, though. Aiyuk lost a fumble and failed to haul in what would have been Jimmy Garoppolo’s only touchdown pass of the game.
“Brandon Aiyuk, man, he’s got to hold onto that rock,” NFL legend Jerry Rice said Monday morning on 95.7 The Game’s The Morning Roast. “He can’t let that rock get out. And the one in the end zone, are you serious? Man, use your hands. He’s got good hands.”
After the game, Aiyuk admitted that he and his teammates might have been a little too excited early on, and it took them some time to settle into the flow of the game.
“We felt like the whole game we just didn’t capitalize or finish drives,” Aiyuk added. “I dropped one down there that would have put us up a little earlier instead of having to wait.”
Rice sees a lot of potential in the 49ers’ third-year receiver and often gets excited while discussing the player.
“I’m seeing him play with confidence,” Rice said of Aiyuk. “Right now, he’s catching short passes. I want him to add a little bit more creativity to it, where you catch the football, get those [yards after the catch] and stuff like that, being able to break tackles and go for six.
“That will come because it’s one of those things where you start to slow things down just a little bit, and you’re able to see things happen before they actually happen. That was something that I had back in the day. It was all about how I use my creativity and I find a way to get to the end zone.”
Rice added, “Plus, Aiyuk also got the speed to get down the field. So we want to start utilizing that threat right there because we need someone to be able to take that cover off the top. He’s able to work everything underneath.”
You can listen to the entire conversation with Rice below.
Listen: Click here to listen on Omny.fm
