Kyle Shanahan has provided an injury update on San Francisco 49ers rookie De’Zhaun Stribling after he was forced out of the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams
Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan offered an update on 49ers rookie De’Zhaun Stribling
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has provided an injury update on rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, who was forced out of the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
The 49ers defeated early Super Bowl favourites the Rams 27-7 in front of a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, in the NFL’s first game in Australia. However, the convincing victory was overshadowed slightly by an injury to rookie wide receiver Stribling.
The 33rd overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft appeared to suffer a left ankle injury during the first half of the NFC West clash. The injury initially looked innocuous, with Stribling abruptly stopping his route against Rams cornerback Trent McDuffie before pulling up and limping on one leg. He needed help reaching the sideline medical tent before being taken to the X-ray room on a cart.
After requiring help from the sideline, he was soon taken to the locker room on a cart and later ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Before the Niners left Australia, Shanahan provided an encouraging update on Stribling’s injury status. "They checked his Achilles," Shanahan said. "They said that was intact, but they're not exactly sure of the magnitude of the ankle injury."
Stribling will undergo further medical testing, including an MRI, once the 49ers return to the Bay Area to determine the severity of the injury.
The rookie did not record a catch in his NFL debut but had impressed throughout training camp and preseason to earn a larger role in San Francisco’s offense. The former Ole Miss wideout had already been managing minor injuries this summer, including hamstring tightness and a shoulder issue.
De'Zhaun Stribling suffered a non-contact injury against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia
De'Zhaun Stribling suffered a non-contact injury against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia(Image: Netflix)
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The 49ers did not appear to miss him against the Rams, however, with Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson all stepping up and catching touchdown passes.
Stribling was not the only 49ers player to leave Australia with an injury. Tight end Jake Tonges also exited in the second quarter with a knee injury and did not return. Shanahan later indicated that the injury appeared serious.
"It wasn't good," Shanahan said. "It's not an ACL. It's MCL I believe, but there's some issues with it that we got to see how it is. There's a little more information to it, but we don't know yet."
The latest injuries come after the 49ers lost defensive lineman Alfred Collins for the season with a torn patellar tendon before the opener, while Ricky Pearsall is also sidelined for the year. The 25-year-old wide receiver will miss the entire season after undergoing PCL surgery, adding to his growing injury woes.
Shanahan will be hoping injuries do not derail another season, with the 49ers set to make their home debut at Levi’s Stadium against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.