49ers All-Pro LT Trent Williams Sidelined A Few Weeks With High Ankle Sprain
Sep 26, 2022, 2:05 PM | Updated: 5:02 pm
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Trent Williams #71 of the San Francisco 49ers runs onto the field against the Dallas Cowboys prior to an NFL wild-card playoff football game at AT&T Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
(Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
The worse news from Sunday’s loss to the Broncos has finally come. San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday that left tackle Trent Williams will miss four to six weeks of the regular season due to a high ankle sprain. No surgery is believed to be required at this time.
The injury occurred in the third quarter when 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo scrambled out of the back of the endzone Sunday night, giving the Denver Broncos two points. A cart was brought out initially to assist the offensive lineman, but he was able to limp off under his own power to the locker room.
He was ruled out for the remainder of the game.
#49ers LT Trent Williams has a high-ankle sprain and could miss 4-6 weeks per Kyle Shanahan.
LB Azeez Al-Shaair has an MCL sprain and could miss up to 8 weeks.
H/T @jenniferleechan pic.twitter.com/QFhQkTbQj0
— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) September 26, 2022
Additionally, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair left Sunday night’s contest with a knee injury and did not return. Shanahan confirmed Monday that Al-Shaair suffered a sprained MCL and could be out for eight weeks.
Williams, 34, came over from Washington in 2020 in exchange for third and fifth-round picks, reuniting him with Kyle Shanahan. The Texas native is a perennial cornerstone of the 49ers’ rushing attack, possessing elite agility for a lineman that allows him to get to the second level quickly.
Without him on the offensive line, the 49ers’ ground game suffered as RB Jeff Wilson Jr. and the tailbacks only ran for 88 yards on the night. JWJ was the culprit on the final possession, coughing up the football to seal the win for Denver.
“I thought we made too many mistakes across the board. But ultimately that starts with me and the coaches…We have to give guys a better chance and that starts with me,” Shanahan said Monday, via conference call.
Some good news did come the Red & Gold’s way Monday as the head coach revealed safety Jimmie Ward (hamstring) and cornerback Jason Verrett (ACL) are eligible to practice after Week 4, an indication that both are ready to return to the field.
