The Los Angeles Rams already have plenty of questions to answer after getting dominated by the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night in Australia. Now, they'll have to deal with a significant injury to one of their biggest stars.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Rams star pass rusher Myles Garrett will miss at least four games and undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee. Garrett is expected to be placed on injured reserve.
Breaking: Rams star Myles Garrett will be out a minimum of four games and undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee, sources told @AdamSchefter and @RapSheet.
He will be placed on IR. pic.twitter.com/TzurJKWtEk
— ESPN (@espn) September 13, 2026
The timing is especially notable for the 49ers. Garrett just faced San Francisco in the Rams' 27-7 loss in Melbourne, but he was largely held in check. He finished with three pressures but no sacks, tackles, or quarterback hits. It was only the fourth game of his career in which he failed to record either a tackle or quarterback hit.
Now, the Rams will have to move forward without him for at least the next four games. That's a tough blow for a Los Angeles team that entered the season with high expectations. According to ESPN Analytics, the Rams' playoff chances have already fallen from 83% in the preseason to 51% heading into Sunday's games. Losing Garrett only makes the road back more difficult.
For the 49ers, meanwhile, the news is a reminder of just how important Thursday night's win could become. San Francisco didn't just beat the Rams; it now sits a game up on a division rival, which could impact how the NFC West turns out, even though it's only one game. And Los Angeles now has to navigate the next month without one of its most disruptive defensive players.
Garrett's absence won't determine the NFC West by itself, but it certainly makes things harder on the Rams. And the 49ers won't complain about that.
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