San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be out for the rest of the season after tearing ligaments in his right knee.
Coach Kyle Shanahan shared on Monday that tests confirmed Aiyuk had torn his ACL and would require major surgery after he was hit on the knee while catching a pass in the red zone late in the second quarter of a 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Aiyuk also suffered a tear in his MCL.
Shanahan mentioned that Aiyuk was very upset when they spoke at home on Sunday night after the injury news.
“He was hurting. Just bummed out,” Shanahan said. “Exactly how you’d expect. But BA is a strong dude and a spiritual guy. He believes everything happens for a reason. So, he’ll be all right.
But definitely a little down last night. I was just telling him how bad I felt for him and just let him know we’re all here for him through this.”
Aiyuk got injured late in the first half after being hit on the knee following a catch in the red zone. He remained on the ground for a few minutes before being taken to the locker room and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game.
Aiyuk, who signed a four-year extension worth $120 million in late August, has made 25 catches for 374 yards this season. He was a second-team All-Pro last year with 1,342 receiving yards.
With Aiyuk out, first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall will face more pressure. Pearsall caught three passes in his NFL debut on Sunday, just 50 days after he was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt in San Francisco.
San Francisco may also be missing its two other top receivers this week. Deebo Samuel was hospitalized with pneumonia on Sunday night, which caused him to miss most of the game against Kansas City. Shanahan was unsure when Samuel would be able to practice again.
No. 3 receiver Jauan Jennings missed the last game due to a hip injury, and it’s still unclear if he will play this week.
All-Pro tight end George Kittle, who has a foot sprain, and backup receiver Chris Conley, who has an ankle sprain, are both considered day-to-day.
Aiyuk’s injury adds to the list of star players missing for the 49ers, who have been without All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey all season because of Achilles tendinitis.
McCaffrey has been working out recently but is not expected to return to practice this week. Shanahan mentioned that McCaffrey might have a chance to come back after the Niners’ bye week before their game against Tampa Bay on November 10.
The 49ers have also been without several other important players for a significant time, including linebacker Dre Greenlaw, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, and safety Talanoa Hufanga.
These injuries have contributed to a tough start for the 49ers, who are currently 3-4 and are trying to return to the playoffs after reaching the NFC title game for the last three seasons and losing in last year’s Super Bowl to Kansas City.
