San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel suffered an ankle injury on a rushing attempt in Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Here’s what we know about the dynamic offensive playmaker.
Update: Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Samuel didn’t suffer an ankle fracture and most likely has a high-ankle sprain. If that’s the case, Deebo will likely be sidelined until the playoffs begin.
San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel Injured
Samuel got tackled awkwardly after taking a handoff midway through the second quarter. He immediately grabbed at his leg, and the hit he took was enough to cause him to fumble the ball.
Samuel was unable to put any weight on his leg. He initially tried to leave the field under his own power, but he yelled and fell back to the ground. The 49ers brought out a cart to transport Samuel to the locker room.
Sadly, Samuel was in tears as he left the field. Members of both teams surrounded Samuel as medical personnel assisted him.
— highlight heaven (@lowdarkhell) December 11, 2022
San Francisco later announced that Samuel has an ankle injury, not a leg injury as initially thought. Unsurprisingly, he’s been ruled out for the rest of today’s game.
The 49ers have a wealth of offensive talent, but it will be nearly impossible for them to replace Samuel, who earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2021 after totaling 1,770 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.
With Deebo out, more offensive touches will go in the direction of Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle. Backup wideouts like Danny Gray and Ray-Ray McCloud could also get more involved.
Offensive injuries have unfortunately been all too common for the 49ers this season. They’re already on their third quarterback after losing both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, while Elijah Mitchell is on injured reserve for the second time this year.