San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't sound too optimistic that his injured veteran cornerback, Richard Sherman, would be back this weekend against the Miami Dolphins. The defender is eligible to begin practicing this week after landing on injured reserve with a calf injury on September 16.
"Not real high on either (Sherman or Raheem Mostert), but I know they do have a chance," Shanahan said on Monday. "Initially, I was told Sherm would be about three to four weeks. I think we're coming up on three. I know it was most likely supposed to be four. I'm kind of expecting, hoping for him next week. It would be a good surprise to get him this week."
It sounds like Sherman is targeting Week 6 rather than Week 5 too. The cornerback discussed his timeline for a return during a discussion on the Cris Collinsworth Podcast, which he co-hosts with Collinsworth.
"We're trying to get that figured out right now," Sherman told Collinsworth. "I'm trying to make it back for that game (on October 18 vs. the Rams). The plan was for me to practice this week. We're still working through that. This rehab process, they are way more meticulous than way back in the day when they tell you to tape it up and just get back out there, give your all, and let you go.
"They're concerned with the long-term, making sure I'm able to play the whole season. We'll see. I'm fighting to get out there when you're here wearing your mask and mak[ing] sure you drink with it, and eat with it on, and don't remove (it)."
Collinsworth will return with Al Michaels to Levi's Stadium for that Week 6 game against the Los Angeles Rams. The mask reference was because the two seemed frustrated that Santa Clara Country restrictions prevented them from doing this past Sunday night's broadcast between the 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles without wearing protective face coverings, which help slow the spread of the highly-contagious COVID-19.
I don't think Al Michaels is a big fan of calling his first #NFL game with a mask on. But this is 2020 afterall. @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/CajwfdXfhJ
— Jerry Coleman (@sportswcoleman) October 5, 2020
"That was a little bit different," Collinsworth said on the podcast. "... Al and I got to do broadcast with a mask on for the first time. That was interesting."
Sherman noted that he wasn't able to enter the team locker room on game day because he was rehabbing and on injured reserve. NFL restrictions prevent anyone other than the active players and select coaches, executives, and staff from entering the locker room on game days.
"They had to literally bring us our clothes outside," Sherman said. "And then we go work out, and then they brought us out other clothes and took our other clothes back, and we got dressed. It's crazy the amount of things that we go through to keep safe.
"Obviously, you understand the regulations and stuff like that, but when it's a locker room full of guys that you've -- I've literally been in this locker room with these guys all week, and I've tested with them all week. I didn't really understand that, but it's the protocols."
You can listen to the entire conversation between Collinsworth and Sherman below.