The San Francisco 49ers faced their first defeat of the season on Sunday when they played against the Cleveland Browns. Now, the team is anxiously waiting to assess the extent of the injuries sustained during the unfortunate loss.
During the 19-17 defeat, both wide receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey suffered injuries, with Samuel hurting his shoulder and McCaffrey experiencing an oblique/rib issue. These injuries were significant enough to force both players to exit the game prematurely.
After the game, Coach Kyle Shanahan was uncertain about the severity of these injuries, and further medical evaluations for both players are scheduled for Monday. Shanahan stated, “We don’t know yet.”
McCaffrey’s situation became more complex as he was initially taken out of the game during the third quarter due to an oblique problem. However, he briefly returned to the field for one play, a 6-yard run, before heading back to the sideline and eventually to the locker room. The team officially ruled him out with 10:58 left to play.
On the other hand, Samuel’s injury occurred in the first quarter, but the exact play or incident leading to it remained unclear. His injury was first mentioned alongside left tackle Trent Williams’ injury with 3:14 left in the first quarter. Williams had his right ankle rolled upon but managed to return to the game shortly afterward. Samuel, however, spent approximately 10 minutes in the medical tent during the second quarter before retreating to the locker room for the rest of the first half. He had two carries for 11 yards before his injury.
McCaffrey left the game after a carry, which was nullified due to a holding penalty. He had 11 carries for 43 yards and three catches for 9 yards, including a touchdown.
With the absence of two of their key playmakers, the 49ers’ offense struggled to find its rhythm following McCaffrey’s opening-drive touchdown. Ray-Ray McCloud and Jauan Jennings took over for Samuel, while Jordan Mason and Elijah Mitchell filled in for McCaffrey. McCloud and Jennings combined for three catches for 30 yards, and McCloud added two carries for 23 yards. Mason and Mitchell collectively had seven carries for 24 yards, with Mason accounting for five of them, including a touchdown that gave the 49ers a late lead.
Shanahan commented, “It’s more about just getting all the guys ready for it. You’ve got a game plan that’s got enough stuff in it, but just moving some positions around, we just made too many mistakes.”
The situation was further compounded by Williams not being at full strength after his return from injury. He missed only a few plays while having his ankle re-taped but was visibly affected, garnering a holding penalty that contributed to a three-and-out late in the third quarter. Williams was seen wearing a walking boot on his right foot after the game.
Williams expressed, “It didn’t feel good at all. It’s football. I just tried to fight through it for my teammates. They’ve got a Hall of Fame rusher over there in 95 [Myles Garrett], and I wanted to get back out there so I could kind of help my team try to contain him. I didn’t want to put [backup tackle] Jaylon [Moore] in that position.”
Quarterback Brock Purdy took responsibility for not compensating adequately for the absence of these star players. He delivered his worst professional performance, going 12-of-27 for 125 yards with a touchdown and an interception, resulting in a passer rating of 55.3 and marking his first regular-season loss as a starter. As the 49ers await further medical assessments for McCaffrey, Samuel, and Williams, Purdy acknowledged that it’s his duty to step up and support the team.
Purdy said, “They’re really good playmakers, so it hurts. But at the same time, we have got guys to be able to come in and make plays, too. That’s on me, being able to help out the guys like Ray-Ray and JJ, who are going to play more, Elijah coming in. I’ve got to do a better job with communicating with them in the huddle, giving them some sort of expectation of what’s to come in terms of the play and stuff. That’s something I’ve got to be better at. … I’m confident whoever comes in, even if Deebo and Christian aren’t able to go, we have got good players.”
