The San Francisco 49ers have been hit with a devastating injury blow as wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been ruled out for the rest of the 2024 season after tearing his ACL and MCL in Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the grim news on Monday, just hours after Aiyuk injured his right knee in the second quarter of the 49ers’ 28-18 loss.
Aiyuk’s injury occurred as he made a 15-yard catch between two Chiefs defenders, but his knee hyperextended as he was tackled. The 26-year-old wideout was visibly in pain, limping off the field and eventually being carted to the locker room. Further testing confirmed the torn ligaments, which will require surgery and end his season after just seven games. Aiyuk had 25 receptions for 374 yards this year, a dip from his 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns during his breakout 2023 season.
Aiyuk is just the latest 49er to suffer a major injury, with other key players including Christian McCaffrey (Achilles tendinitis), Dre Greenlaw (Achilles tear), and Javon Hargrave (triceps tear) also missing significant time.
Meanwhile, fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel remains hospitalized after being diagnosed with a form of pneumonia. Shanahan revealed that Samuel had fluid in his lungs, which flared up before Sunday’s game, limiting him to just four snaps. While there’s no firm timeline for Samuel’s return, further updates are expected later this week.
With Aiyuk out and Samuel’s status uncertain, the 49ers are hoping to get Jauan Jennings back from injury in time for their Sunday Night Football showdown against the Dallas Cowboys. If not, the team will rely on a mix of rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing, along with veteran Chris Conley, to fill the void.
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