49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk named NFC’s offensive player of Week 1

SANTA CLARA — Brandon Aiyuk joined Jerry Rice and Anquan Boldin as the only 49ers wide receivers to win an NFC Player of the Week award via a season-opening showcase.

Aiyuk drew that career-first honor Wednesday for his spectacular showing in the 49ers’ 30-7 win Sunday at Pittsburgh.

For more historical perspective on Aiyuk’s grand debut:

— He caught eight passes for a career-high 129 yards and two touchdowns. It was his third career multi-touchdown game and fifth 100-yard outing, but never before in the same game.

— The last 49ers wide receiver to have a 100-yard game in an opener was Deebo Samuel (189 yards) in the 2021 win at Detroit.

— J.J. Stokes was the last 49ers wide receiver with over 100 yards and two touchdowns in a season opener (111 yards, two touchdowns in 1998 against the New York Jets).

— Aiyuk scored two touchdowns in a half only once before: in last October’s Week 6 loss at Atlanta.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin applauded Aiyuk’s efforts when asked about them Tuesday, saying: “Some of his exploits had to do with our desire to minimize Kittle, Deebo and Christian. But that’s what makes awesome units challenging. They have a lot of capable people who are able to rise up and make plays when others garner attention.”

Aiyuk, who had a career-high 1,105 yards last season, took umbrage in March about others overlooking him among the 49ers’ talented crew. “1k as the 4th option in a run first offense I’m as real as it get word to Lil baby and est gee! I’m ready to stand on business every time. Year 4,” Aiyuk tweeted in March.

Tomlin, mind you, was complimenting both the 49ers’ offense and Aiyuk on Tuesday.

“His evolution, particularly over the later half of last year, is reflective to that performance,” Tomlin added. “We tip our cap to him. He made a combat 50-50 catch for a touchdown. And he made other significant plays. He played a really good football game.”

Aiyuk had eight touchdown catches among 78 receptions last year, after five touchdown receptions each of his first two seasons as a 2020 first-round draft pick (No. 25 overall).

By the way, Rice won his Week 1 player-of-the-week honors in 1994 (seven catches, 169 yards, two touchdowns in a win over the Raiders; followed by five catches for 78 yards in a Week 2 loss at Kansas City). Boldin garnered his in 2013 (13 catches, 208 yards, one touchdown in a victorious debut against the Packers; followed by one catch for 7 yards in a Week 2 loss at Seattle).