San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Alfred Collins (95) during the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Just as prep for the standard season finale wrapped up, injury disaster struck the San Francisco 49ers defensive front once again.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the brutal news on Tuesday, announcing that second-year defensive tackle Alfred Collins suffered a season-ending patellar tendon tear during practice. The injury drops another heavy blow on a front line already dealing with roster movement and health concerns.
“All I have to talk about is what happened yesterday with injuries with all the guys that were limited,” Shanahan said. “Though the worst one was Alfred Collins. Alfred tore his patellar tendon yesterday so that was a big loss, lost two D-linemen pretty much for the year, after cuts, before the first game. Which has been a huge challenge.”
Kyle Shanahan shares 49ers defensive tackle Alfred Collins tore his patellar tendon in practice and is out for the season pic.twitter.com/mcqkIgcU0y
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) September 9, 2026
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The loss hits San Francisco's defensive rotation hard. Selected in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft out of the University of Texas, Collins provided reliable depth along the interior during his rookie campaign. The 6-foot-5, 332-pound tackle appeared in 16 regular-season games with one start in 2025, recording 17 total tackles, four quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one sack across 492 defensive snaps.
Collins was expected to take an elevated step forward in his second year, clogging interior run lanes and disrupting collapsing pockets. Instead, the 49ers must now recalibrate their defensive line depth map before kicking off the regular season schedule.
Losing key defensive contributors right after final roster cuts creates an immediate test for the front office and coaching staff. As Collins begins his long rehabilitation process, San Francisco will have to scan available free agents and practice squad targets to stabilize the trenches.