SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The 49ers, already dealing with a host of injuries early in the season, took another hit Sunday in their 36-30 victory over the Arizona Cardinals when wide receiver Mike Evans, left tackle Trent Williams and linebacker Dre Greenlaw all left the game and did not return. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the team was still unsure of the severity of Evans’ problem, noting they couldn’t tell immediately whether it was a broken rib or an oblique issue and expected more clarity the next day.
Evans left in the second quarter after being slow to get up following a third-down incompletion; earlier he’d been hit in the sternum on a reception but remained in for a couple of plays before exiting. Medical staff attended to him on the field as he held the right side of his chest, then he walked to the sideline, went into the trainer’s tent and eventually was taken to the locker room on a cart. By halftime the team ruled him out with a rib injury. Evans finished with three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown and had the short reception he lateraled to Deebo Samuel Sr. that resulted in an 80-yard score on the opening drive.
San Francisco signed Evans in the offseason to give quarterback Brock Purdy a proven No. 1 target, and through 2½ games Evans had totaled 12 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns. The receiver’s absence is especially concerning given other injuries at the position: Ricky Pearsall is out for the season, De’Zhaun Stribling is expected to miss another eight to nine weeks, Demarcus Robinson at least three more weeks, and Christian Kirk won’t be eligible to return from injured reserve until Week 5. By the end of Sunday, the only healthy wideouts available were Deebo Samuel, Jacob Cowing, KhaDarel Hodge and Jordan Watkins.
Williams exited in the third quarter on a cart with what was described as a stinger; he returned to the sideline but did not come back into the game, with Vederian Lowe finishing at left tackle. Greenlaw tweaked his quad late, briefly returned for one play and was then held out for precautionary reasons. Linebacker Garret Wallow, who stepped in for Greenlaw, suffered a stinger of his own but was able to finish the contest.
The Niners also had both starting cornerbacks — Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green — removed at points for concussion evaluations; both ultimately cleared and returned. Rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton missed part of the game with cramping. Despite the flurry of injuries, Shanahan said the staff’s focus was on adjusting personnel and play-calling rather than dwelling on what went wrong, emphasizing the need to swap wristbands and calls and keep moving when players are unavailable.
Fan take: This matters because losing a primary playmaker like Mike Evans tests San Francisco’s depth and could force play-calling and roster changes that alter the team’s short-term outlook. For NFL fans, it’s a reminder that even elite teams must be built with injury contingencies, and these kinds of setbacks can ripple through playoff races and offseason roster decisions.
Source: www.espn.com
