The good news is that White has made a strong recovery after undergoing ankle surgery. He even played 17 defensive snaps in the team's preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders and ultimately earned a spot on the 53-man roster.
The 49ers acquired White last season in a trade with the New England Patriots, hoping he could help strengthen a struggling pass rush.
The injury occurred during an incident at a San Francisco nightclub. A police spokesperson later clarified that the situation stemmed from an altercation involving rapper Lil Baby but said White was not believed to have been directly involved in the dispute.
White spoke with reporters Tuesday and shared additional details about the incident that led to his surgery.
"I got shot," White said bluntly. "It was a gunshot to the foot. I broke my talus bone, so I had to have surgery—two screws in there. But yeah, brush it off. Literally was making jokes as I was going to the hospital, so I don't really be too serious."
White revealed that the screws remain in his foot, even offering his own lighthearted perspective.
"Two small screws in my ankle," he said. "So, I got screws in each ankle now, so I'm symmetrical."
When asked whether he feared for his life during the incident, White downplayed the mental impact it had on him.
"Nah, the funny part is I was actually the one calming everybody else down," White said. "I don't really take a lot of things seriously. I didn't know I got shot until like five minutes after, as I was walking around."
Despite returning to the field during the preseason, White acknowledged that his recovery is still ongoing.
"To be honest, it's still an ongoing thing," White said. "Still dealing with my ankle and everything like that, recovering. Just having to take myself a day at a time, but I feel pretty good right now. It was like a touch-and-go situation right up to the beginning of training camp, for real."
After returning to the field during the preseason, the 49ers defensive end will look to make an impact on San Francisco's defensive front in 2026.
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