San Francisco 49ers’ Mike Evans #5 takes a knee after an injury in the second quarter of their NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco 49ers’ Mike Evans #5 takes a knee after an injury in the second quarter of their NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SANTA CLARA — Wide receiver Mike Evans, left tackle Trent Williams and linebacker Dre Greenlaw are not facing long-term absences because of injuries that forced them out of the 49ers’ 36-30 win Sunday over the Cardinals, coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday.
Shanahan would only state that Evans has a “rib” injury and declined to elaborate on whether it involves a fracture or torn cartilage. But it obviously had the 13th-year veteran in agony as he struggled to walk off the field and get carted to the locker room before halftime.
“We’ll have to evaluate him throughout the week,” Shanahan said on a media conference call. “It shouldn’t be long term. We have to see how it goes throughout the week.”
The same goes for Williams’ neck stinger and Greenlaw’s right-quadriceps contusion, Shanahan said. Both players are routinely rested from Wednesday’s practice, so Thursday could indicate how their recoveries are progressing.
Neither defensive end Nick Bosa (calf) nor defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. (ankle) will return from last week’s injuries to play Sunday when the 49ers (3-0) host the Denver Broncos (2-1). After that, the 49ers complete their opening round of NFC West matchups with an Oct. 11 visit to the Seattle Seahawks (2-1).
Evans got hit hard across the middle by Budda Baker on the 49ers’ first play from scrimmage, unable to snag a 15-yard pass from Brock Purdy. After coming off for the next play, Evans returns to start a hook-and-lateral play that resulted in Deebo Samuel racing 80 yards for the 49ers’ first touchdown.
Evans produced a 23-yard touchdown catch on the 49ers’ next series, but with 1:41 until halftime, he grabbed at his right ribs and struggled to walk with the 49ers’ medical staff to the sideline and eventually got carted to the locker room.
Evans, 33, endured a collision near midfield on a 9-yard catch coming out of the 2-minute warning, and he went to the ground in pain following two ensuing incompletions that came his way.
A week earlier, Evans left with a hip injury after a 27-yard reception to the 1-yard line. After spending the past 12 seasons as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ all-time leading receiver, Evans joined the 49ers in free agency. Minor groin and quadriceps injuries hindered him in camp. He has 12 receptions on 16 targets for 137 yards and two touchdowns.
Williams sustained a nerve stinger while blocking on Christian McCaffrey’s 1-yard touchdown run on the opening series after halftime. Williams then got carted to the locker room but returned to the sideline as Vederian Lowe filled in for him the remainder of the game.
Greenlaw appeared to injure his right quadriceps early in the fourth quarter, requiring trainers’ attention after a fourth-and-2 play that the Cardinals converted via penalty. He returned for a play before the 49ers sidelined him. Greenlaw has dealt with a combination of groin, Achilles, and quadriceps injuries since 2021, and quad issues hindered him last season with the Broncos.
DEFENSIVE END HELP
Rookie Romello Height will return to practice this week after requiring surgery on a fractured hand last week and missing Sunday’s win against the Cardinals.
With Bosa and Sam Okuayinonu (foot) unavailable, the 49ers added veteran defensive end Matthew Judon to the practice squad Monday. “Obviously with our situation, hopefully we’ll get him caught up here real fast and he’ll be an option to help us,” Shanahan said.
Also, Mykel Williams will start practicing this week for the first time since tearing his right knee’s anterior cruciate ligament in the 49ers’ Nov. 2 win over the Giants at MetLife Stadium. The 49ers will have three weeks to activate Williams from the Physically Unable To Perform list.
EXTRA POINTS
Shanahan didn’t think he’d win a replay challenge of a Purdy incompletion, in which the red-hot quarterback threw on the run out of bounds and connected with a sliding Luke Farrell on the 49ers’ sideline. … Although Shanahan praised Eddy Piñeiro for a 57-yard field goal to end the first half, missing two point-after kicks are what “gave them a chance at the end. He’s got to get them cleaned up,” Shanahan said. … Cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green were not mentioned on Monday’s injury report, after both cleared concussion evaluations and returned to Sunday’s game.
San Francisco 49ers’ Deebo Samuel Sr. #19 gains yardage in the second quarter of their NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)