The San Francisco 49ers made a shocking decision Tuesday night by officially terminating the contract of running back Isaac Guerendo.
The move came only days before San Francisco begins a crucial OTA period while preparing for the pressure surrounding the upcoming 2026 NFL season.
According to multiple reports, team executives completely lost confidence after months of monitoring the veteran running back’s physical condition and off-field behavior.
Isaac Guerendo was once viewed as one of the most explosive young running backs in football because of his breakaway speed, burst, and big-play potential as a former fourth-round draft pick.
Throughout his professional football career, the former Louisville standout recorded solid production in limited opportunities, showing flashes of the talent that made him a promising depth piece behind Christian McCaffrey.
Many around the league believed Guerendo still possessed enough athleticism and youth to become a reliable contributor inside San Francisco’s dynamic offensive system this season.
However, concerns reportedly began growing after the veteran repeatedly appeared on injury reports throughout the past several months inside the 49ers organization.
According to internal sources, Isaac Guerendo frequently used muscle soreness, lower body discomfort, and hamstring issues as reasons to avoid mandatory rehabilitation and conditioning sessions.
Shortly afterward, several people connected to the organization reportedly spotted the running back multiple times out late in the Bay Area’s nightlife scene.
Those reports quickly spread across the fanbase and created growing frustration among 49ers supporters who value accountability and professionalism from players.
San Francisco’s coaching staff reportedly held several private conversations in hopes of helping the veteran regain focus before the situation spiraled beyond control internally.
“We gave him countless opportunities to fix things, more than most players ever receive in this league. We stood behind him, remained patient, and honestly believed he could turn everything around. But eventually, there comes a point where you realize someone has to want to save their own career before anyone else can help them do it.” — Kyle Shanahan
Despite those efforts, the situation reportedly never improved as Guerendo continued missing multiple conditioning evaluations throughout San Francisco’s offseason preparation program.
The breaking point reportedly came earlier this week when the veteran running back failed the mandatory physical examination conducted by San Francisco’s medical department.
Team doctors determined he was not physically prepared to participate in the high-intensity training program leading into the upcoming NFL campaign.
The decision to release him was reportedly finalized almost immediately following an internal meeting involving Kyle Shanahan and San Francisco’s football operations department.
Several veteran players inside the locker room were also reportedly becoming frustrated with what they viewed as increasingly unprofessional behavior from the running back.
The 49ers organization has spent years attempting to rebuild a disciplined locker room culture centered around accountability, toughness, and complete team commitment under Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch.
Kyle Shanahan reportedly wanted to send a clear message throughout the roster that no individual player stands above San Francisco’s long-term team culture.
Even so, many 49ers fans remain disappointed because Isaac Guerendo was once considered one of the more intriguing athletic talents on the roster and a potential piece of the team’s future backfield depth.
