According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers All-Pro wideout Deebo Samuel “most likely” suffered a high ankle sprain Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, putting his status for the remainder of the regular season in doubt.
The 2021 Pro Bowler will undergo more tests to determine the injury’s severity, but the Niners will likely be without Samuel for the foreseeable future.
Samuel sustained the injury on a late first-half run near midfield. While being tackled to the ground, Samuel’s left leg got pinned underneath Buccaneers’ linebacker Rakeem Nunez-Roches and bent back awkwardly as more tacklers arrived.
Seemingly fearing the worst, Samuel looked defeated as he left the field on a cart, holding his left knee, head down.
Despite losing Samuel early on Sunday, the 49ers knocked off the Buccaneers 35-7, improving to 9-5.
Before exiting the game, Samuel had four catches for 43 yards, adding 21 rushing yards off four carries, including a 13-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Samuel hasn’t had the season he or the 49ers have hoped. The 26-year-old came into Sunday with 50 catches for 569 yards, two touchdowns, 207 rushing yards, and two scores on the ground.
Luckily for the 49ers, if Samuel misses extended time, they have receiver Brandon Aiyuk, tight end George Kittle, and running back Christian McCaffrey to lean on.
San Francisco holds the lead in the NFC West by two games over the Seattle Seahawks (7-6). The 49ers travel to take on those same Seahawks on Thursday before wrapping up its schedule with games against the Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals.
