The San Francisco 49ers had their worst fears confirmed on Monday.
Per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, tests determined that 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury in Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. It was initially feared that he had suffered a torn ACL, head coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Aiyuk actually tore both his ACL and MCL.
Aiyuk’s teammate Deebo Samuel posted a message on Instagram for him after his diagnosis was revealed:
Deebo Samuel shares a heartfelt message to his teammate Brandon Aiyuk, who was ruled out for the season with a torn ACL.
❤️👏 pic.twitter.com/7gCxP1H16B
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 21, 2024
Aiyuk recorded two catches for 23 yards before suffering the injury in the first half of Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch between San Francisco and Kansas City. He was examined in the blue medical tent before being carted back to the locker room.
Aiyuk ends his 2024 season with 25 catches for 374 yards and no touchdowns. His average of 53.4 yards per game ranked fourth on the 49ers.
The season-ending injury comes after a tumultuous summer that saw Aiyuk hold out for the entirety of training camp over his desire for a new contract. He was rumored to be on the verge of being traded before he ultimately agreed to a four-year, $120 million contract extension that put him among the highest-paid receivers in the NFL.
Losing Aiyuk for the remainder of the year leaves the 49ers without yet another key offensive player. San Francisco has been without star running back Christian McCaffrey for the entirety of the 2024 season due to bilateral Achilles tendonitis.
Without Aiyuk, the 49ers will rely on Samuel and tight end George Kittle to lead the passing attack. However, Shanahan said Monday that Samuel is hospitalized with fluid in his lungs. Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was shot in the chest during an alleged attempted robbery this past summer, made his NFL debut in Sunday’s game.
After falling to 3-4 with the loss to Kansas City, San Francisco will try to bounce back when it faces the Dallas Cowboys (3-3) on Sunday Night Football.