San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Keion White was shot in the ankle during an event on Monday morning, authorities said.
The San Francisco Police Department reported the shooting happened at 4:06 a.m. on the 17th block of Mission Street after an altercation between two groups at the gathering led to gunfire. Details remain unclear, and officials do not believe White was involved in the dispute. He was transported by police to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover.
In a team statement the 49ers said, “Keion White was the victim of a shooting this morning in San Francisco and suffered a gunshot wound to his ankle. He is currently undergoing surgery at a local hospital. We will provide further updates as required.”
Investigators are continuing to look into the incident.
The shooting came just hours after Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, more than 60 miles south of San Francisco. White attended the game and was seen wearing a New England Patriots hat.
White was acquired from the Patriots in October in exchange for the 46th overall pick in 2023. This season he recorded 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks across 14 games. The 27-year-old has one year remaining on his initial four-year, $7.7 million contract. The 49ers finished 12-5 last season, reached the playoffs and were ousted in the divisional round.
White is the second recent 49ers player to be shot; wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco before his 2024 rookie season and later returned to play in 11 games.
Fan Take: Incidents like this remind NFL fans that player safety extends beyond the field and can affect team depth and season plans. Beyond the immediate roster impact, repeated off-field violence surrounding players could push the league and teams to increase support, security and community outreach initiatives.
