San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Erik Magnuson, who finished last season on injured reserve, was medically cleared by the team on Monday and will be ready for the start of the offseason program.
Magnuson spoke with our own Al Sacco and Zain Naqvi this week during the latest "No Huddle Podcast" episode.
"I'm 100 percent," Magnuson said. "I stayed up here this whole offseason. I've been training with our strength coach and doing rehab and stuff with our trainers here at the facility. I actually got my clearance today (Monday). It's been a long process but I've been going at it every day, and I'm ready for OTAs, so it was a big day for me."
Magnuson was placed on injured reserve on November 29 after sustaining a Lisfranc injury, which was initially mistaken for a severe sprain, in his foot against the Seattle Seahawks during Week 12. In his case, it was a torn ligament.
"I think it was early second quarter, which we didn't know about it," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on the Monday following the game. "He toughed it out, played throughout the whole game, and it's a pretty bad foot sprain, so he's going to have to go on IR. I was pretty amazed, I've got a lot of respect for that guy for staying out there and battling through it, especially with how short we were at tackles."
Magnuson (6-4, 305) described the in-game injury and how it occurred.
"It was in the second quarter, it was a pass play, and Michael Bennett was on a bull rush against me," Magnuson said. "I was trying to anchor down, stop his bull rush, and it was in my right foot, planting against my right foot, I felt it pop. I think it was on a third down, so I came off the field, and I had the trainers tape it.
"But immediately, when it happened, I was like, 'I just broke my foot. Whatever. I'll just get through this game, and I'll worry about it then.' I just had them tape my foot tighter, and then I went in and got an MRI after the game because I saw the doctor and he's like, 'Yeah, it doesn't feel like a break. Your bone, everything feels good.'
"But something seemed wrong, so I went and got an MRI after the game, and I had torn my Lisfranc ligament. It was bummer, but at least I got to play my rookie year."
Magnuson, 24, was signed as an undrafted free agent guard and center out of Michigan last April and was forced to play at tackle during his rookie season. The game against Seattle was just his second career start and his fourth-straight game appearance.
Sacco and Naqvi also react to the first wave of free agency, giving their thoughts on the Richard Sherman, Weston Richburg, Jerick McKinnon, and Jeremiah Attaochu signings. Plus, you can hear about Magnuson's plane ride with 49ers legend Joe Montana as news of the Sherman signing broke.
You can listen to our entire interview with Magnuson below, from our dedicated podcast page, on iTunes, Google Play, or SoundCloud.
