San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman suffered a calf strain during the first half of last weekend's game in Kansas City. Early reports had him missing at least a couple of weeks due to the injury.
"It was right before the two-minute drill," Sherman said while explaining when the injury occurred. "Kind of the start of the two-minute drill. It was a random run play. I just broke to go and it just kind of pulled up on me a little bit."
There is always the worry that any injury could be related to the torn Achilles Sherman suffered last November or any previous injury. He assured reporters that is not the case with this injury — at least, not directly.
"It just makes it an easy story for you guys," Sherman said. "It makes it lazy reporting. It's just me not playing in eight months, and getting back out there, and going through the trials and tribulations of the season, the wear and tear of football, and taking all these reps after not taking them for eight months. Your body's got to get used to doing it again."
Moments before Sherman took the podium, a reporter asked defensive coordinator Robert Saleh if there was any concern about Sherman already missing time, given the veteran cornerback is coming off such a lengthy recovery.
"Not ready to push the panic button," Saleh responded. "Sherm's a fighter. If he can go this week, I promise you he'll go this week. Sherm will play through pain. He's played through a torn hamstring. I've witnessed it back in his younger days.
"He's not always 100 percent. When he can reach that pain tolerance, and it's an unbelievable pain tolerance he's got, he'll get out there. So I'm not ready to push the panic button on him yet, not even close."
Sherman confirmed that he will likely miss Sunday's road game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but beyond that, he's not ready to make any predictions.
"I don't think it's been determined (how much time I will miss) until I go out there and give it a shot, and we work through it," Sherman said. "I think I'll be missing this one (against the Chargers), but I don't think we know much beyond that."
Sherman did not practice on Wednesday and is unlikely to do so on Thursday.
The 49ers defensive backfield is ailing. Beyond Sherman, both starting safeties, Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder) and Adrian Colbert (hip) missed practice on Wednesday.
The healthiest starting defensive back is second-year cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who did not start against the Chiefs on Sunday because of an ankle injury. He was, however, a full participant during practice on Wednesday.
Saleh confirmed reports that San Francisco tried to re-sign Eric Reid. The former 49ers safety instead opted to join the Carolina Panthers.