49ers lose linebacker Tatum Bethune for playoffs after groin injury vs. Seahawks

The 49ers will turn to veteran middle linebacker Eric Kendricks as the team opens the NFL playoffs.Tatum Bethune, who started eight games in place of injured Fred Warner, will miss the remainder of the season with a torn groin muscle, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday on a conference call with Bay Area reporters.The 49ers, the sixth seed in the NFC with a 12-5 record, open the NFL playoffs on Sunday at the third-seeded Philadelphia Eagles (11-6).Left tackle Trent Williams (hamstring) and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (ankle, knee) will be evaluated throughout the week to determine if they will be available to play against the Eagles, Shanahan said. Both players were inactive for the 49ers’ regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks.It has yet to be determined whether Bethune will require surgery, Shanahan said. Bethune registered 94 tackles on the season after taking over for Warner, a four-time All-Pro selection. Warner could return from a fractured and dislocated right ankle if the 49ers advance deeper into the playoffs.The 49ers signed Kendricks, 33, an 11-year NFL veteran, to their practice squad on Nov. 26. He will take...