The San Francisco 49ers got some good news from Monday's MRI results on Deebo Samuel. Well, it's good news, considering how bleak things looked for the wide receiver on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Samuel suffered MCL and ankle sprains but is expected to return to the field at some point during the regular season, per the team.
That Ain't Nobody But GOD🤞🏾🙏🏾
— Deebo (@19problemz) December 12, 2022
The 49ers have four more games scheduled, starting with Thursday night's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Samuel sustained his injury late in the second quarter with the 49ers up 21-0. The receiver was clearly in considerable pain while grasping at the left leg that had been trapped under Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Rakeem Nunez-Roches. Samuel lost the football in the process, and the Buccaneers recovered.
Samuel tried to put weight on his leg but needed a cart to get off the field. Teammates gathered nearby, offering their support before the emotional receiver was transported to the locker room.
On Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted that he tried to call a timeout, hoping to stop the play before the ball was snapped.
"I was upset that the play got ran," Shanahan said Monday morning via a conference call, "but I wasn't close enough to the ref, so he heard me yell it, but he couldn't confirm that it was me, and so I get his position. I have to talk to him about it, but I was just upset with it because I tried to stop the play."
Samuel has 840 total yards this season through 12 games—612 receiving yards and 228 rushing yards. He has made his way into the end zone five times (two receiving touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns).
Purdy, Givens injury updates
Quarterback Brock Purdy is considered day-to-day with an oblique/rib injury. The injury occurred early in Sunday's game, and the quarterback managed to play through it. The 49ers provided a report that estimates what participation might have been like had the team practiced on Monday. Purdy was listed as a "limited participant."
"Just felt a little tight at the end, just from taking some hits," Purdy said of his injury after the game. "But honestly, man, like if I needed to play throughout the rest of the game, I definitely would have. So, I'm going to get some treatment on it and be ready to roll."
Defensive lineman Kevin Givens will miss a few weeks with an MCL sprain.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that defensive back Dontae Johnson suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season.