Deebo Samuel was the only player mentioned when San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan provided injury updates during his post-game press conference following a 24-21 playoff win over the Green Bay Packers. That's a significant name, though. Samuel is one of the offense's most dynamic players, and his potential absence in the upcoming NFC Championship Game raises concerns.
Samuel left the game during the 49ers' first offensive drive and was initially evaluated for a head injury. Shanahan noted that Samuel was cleared of that potential injury.
Deebo Samuel is down on the field being looked at by trainers after being tackled pic.twitter.com/yg4Il9OPVJ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 21, 2024
Despite being briefly cleared to re-enter the game, Samuel experienced discomfort and had to leave again. He headed to the locker room for evaluation of a shoulder injury, ultimately being ruled out for the remainder of the game.
When asked about his initial impression regarding the severity of Samuel's injury, Shanahan stated, "I don't know yet. I mean, he tried to come back, couldn't do it. I know he did something similar versus Cleveland, so we'll see tomorrow."
Shanahan is referencing Samuel's hairline fracture in his shoulder, an injury that sidelined him for most of that Week 6 game against the Browns, plus two more contests. This comparison raises concerns as the 49ers are set to host the Detroit Lions or Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC title game in a week.
Although, ESPN's Adam Schefter did provide a positive update.
49ers WR Deebo Samuel, who left Saturday night's game with a shoulder injury, told some members of the organization that he was "OK", per sources.
Kyle Shanahan compared Samuel's injury to the one suffered at Cleveland earlier this season, when the WR missed the next two games. pic.twitter.com/sF6g7gaqMq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 21, 2024
The 49ers offense struggled without Samuel on the field, but they managed to secure a victory, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
When asked about the impact of Samuel's absence on the team, Shanahan acknowledged, "It changes a lot of stuff, especially when you have wristbands and things like that. You just got to switch some guys around, which is always a challenge for those guys. It happened during the Cleveland game, and we didn't handle it that well. I thought we handled it better today than we did then, but it is a huge challenge."
Shanahan added, "Deebo is obviously one of our better players, but he also is a unique guy that goes to some certain spots, so you've got to be adjusting that all game."