It's been a while since Talanoa Hufanga addressed the media. The All-Pro safety has endured a challenging season, battling injuries. The latest, torn wrist ligaments, landed him on injured reserve on October 9.
Initially, doubts surrounded Hufanga's chances of returning to the field this season. However, the San Francisco 49ers opened his practice window this week, raising the possibility of a comeback. If Hufanga does return, he'll play with a cast protecting his injured hand.
"I feel good," Hufanga said on Thursday. "Got to run around today. I tried to stay in shape as much as I can. But super excited, for sure."
A return would be significant for Hufanga, who is set to become a free agent after the season. The safety has appeared in only two games this year—Weeks 3 and 5—making his potential return even more meaningful.
While being sidelined has been challenging, Hufanga has focused on maintaining a positive mindset and staying engaged with the team.
"It can be frustrating at times," Hufanga admitted. "But for me, I just had to stay positive through it. I knew I was gonna, at some point, make my return, and for me, just to stay positive through it, because if you kind of get away from the game, you can really get lost.
"And so, when you get back on the field, you can be a step slower. So, for me, I had to stay in it, understand what our defense was doing, and the adjustments we were trying to make."
The 49ers, as a team, have struggled this season, enduring a three-game losing streak and falling to 5-7. With only five games left, the playoffs are slipping out of reach unless the team can turn things around—starting with Sunday's matchup against the Chicago Bears.
It remains unclear if Hufanga will suit up for the Week 14 contest, but the prospect of playing again has him energized.
"I'm very happy, though. Just excited just to be back on the field, at least the practice," Hufanga said. "That's the most important thing, so super excited."