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Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Essayist
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — At a time when the San Francisco 49ers celebrated the return of one great receiver, they lost another, perhaps for the entire season.
Brandon Aiyuk, who has led the Niners in most receiving sections in the current two seasons, suffered what the team fears was a torn ACL in his right knee in Sunday’s 28-18 loss to the Kansas Town Chiefs.
If additional tests Aiyuk will have in the next 24 hours confirm that investigation, Aiyuk will need surgery and skip the rest of the season.
“That’s what it looks like, but we don’t know for sure,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “I’ve been wrong before. So I pray we are wrong.”
At first, Aiyuk was the only healthy 49er, one of three wide receivers on the team. Jauan Jennings was ruled out Friday with a hip bruise, the day Deebo Samuel arrived at Levi’s Stadium with a weakness that occurred about a half-hour before the game with the caveat that Samuel was expected to play.
Samuel walked to the meadow just before the game began and participated in the coin toss, but he moved slowly. He played four snaps, but briefly retired to the bench and did not return. He had refused sacks or carries before his time was up.
“Throat, stomach stuff, really fatigued,” Shanahan said. “He had a hard time breathing, he couldn’t catch his breath… he kept trying to fight, but once he had difficulty breathing and everything, we had to stop him.”
Although the Niners are hopeful that Jennings and Samuel will be back for next month’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, Aiyuk’s condition appears more serious.
With 48 seconds left in the second quarter, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy found Aiyuk between two Kansas Town defenders for a 15-yard gain. Chiefs defensive backs Chamarri Conner and Trent McDuffie converged on Aiyuk when he suffered a low collision and dropped his knee in a precarious spot.
Aiyuk lay sick as the Niners’ science team came to the aid before he could get up, slowly limp to the bench and head to the science tent. He quickly headed to the bench room and a comeback was ruled out as the third quarter opened.
He had two catches for 23 yards on the day he left, leaving the receiving duties to veterans Chris Conley and Ronnie Bell and newcomers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing.
“It sucks,” tight end George Kittle said. “I love Brandon Aiyuk, the energy he brings, what he can do on the football field, the routes, receiving the ball. He’s an incredible football player… In my opinion, you can’t replace one of the best receivers in the NFL.”
The 49ers signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million extension in August, following a longer pledge dispute that nearly ended with him being traded to several teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.
In 2023, Aiyuk had 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns en route to second-team All-Pro honors. But this year he got off to a slower start with 25 receptions for 374 yards and rejection rates.
Still, the loss of Aiyuk is no small feat, especially when combined with the other major injuries that continue to pile up for the Niners. If Aiyuk misses a longer long, he would hit running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles tendinitis), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles tear), defensive back Javon Hargrave (triceps tear) and defensive back Talanoa Hufanga (torn knee ligaments). wrist) among the key 49ers. be away for a significant number of days.
That will also give more momentum to Pearsall, the Deny. 31 selected in the April draft, to build ahead of schedule. Pearsall made his debut on Sunday, just 50 days later, suffering a gunshot wound to the right side of his chest in an attempted arm grab in San Francisco.
“What BA does for our offense and who he is and as a teammate and brother of ours, man, it’s sad,” Purdy said. “I wish him nothing but the best and I pray for him. So that’s my man. And when he goes down like that, obviously we have other guys that can step up and do their job very well… we all have to come together “. as a group collectively, the receiving unit and all of us.”
