San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters on Monday afternoon, one day after the team's 30-19 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The biggest storyline from the game was the devastating loss of linebacker Fred Warner, who suffered a dislocated and fractured right ankle that ended his season.
Shanahan confirmed that Warner will undergo surgery on Tuesday.
"I think, usually, things like this are around three months," Shanahan said of Warner's recovery timeline, "but I haven't asked all the questions you guys are asking me yet. But I assume he'll be good for the offseason workouts and stuff like that."
The positive news for San Francisco is that Shanahan expects Warner to be ready in time for the team's offseason program.
George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk injury updates
The 49ers are anticipating the return of George Kittle. The star tight end, on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, appears on track to practice and potentially play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
Shanahan provided an update on wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who continues progressing in his recovery from the ACL and MCL injuries he suffered in October 2024.
"Yeah, no timeframe," Shanahan said. "I always look around that Week 10 thing, but we're not putting an exact date on it. I know he's rehabbing real hard and put together a few good weeks here, and hopefully, he's getting closer and closer, which I believe he is. But no, we're not giving an exact date on it."
Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, and others
On Wednesday, San Francisco will evaluate quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, both of whom have missed the last two games. The 49ers are hopeful the pair can return to practice this week.
"Ricky, with his knee, still evaluating it, whether he can come back this week," Shanahan said. "We'll have to see him on Wednesday. Brock Purdy, similar with his toe. Hopefully, he can get back in and do a little bit more this week."
Additionally, wide receiver Jordan Watkins (calf) is expected to practice this week, hopefully giving the 49ers' offense a further boost.
Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos is continuing to rehab his hamstring injury, while defensive tackle Kevin Givens continues practicing, working his way back from the pectoral injury that landed him on injured reserve.
Dominick Puni struggling?
Shanahan discussed the performance of second-year guard Dominick Puni, who has notably struggled to match the strong level of play he showed during his impressive 2024 rookie season after suffering a PCL sprain this preseason.
"I think Dom has played better before, in his rookie year," Shanahan admitted. "I think there was a big injury coming into this season, which was a huge setback for him and has made things more difficult. I'm sure that hasn't made things easier for him, but a lot of guys are battling stuff, and I got a lot of confidence in Dom. He's played at a high level for us before, so I expect him to do it again."