Kyle Shanahan expects Deebo Samuel back in ‘three-ish’ weeks

Dec 13, 2022, 5:00 PM | Updated: Dec 14, 2022, 8:24 am

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 11: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers takes a drink during the first half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi's Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

BY AMILIANO FRAGOSO

Sports Editor/Writer

After almost another crisis injury to All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel over the weekend, head coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers are relived it’s a minor injury.

Samuel underwent an MRI at Stanford hospital Monday, with tests confirming the best news possible: The wideout did not suffer a fracture or torn ACL. Instead, Samuel has an ankle sprain and a MCL sprain. And the best part: The wideout could be back before the end of the regular season.

“Well there’s four weeks left in the season, I think they told me three-ish [weeks] is our expectation. So right in that area,” Shanahan said to the media Tuesday.

Deebo Samuel injured his left leg in the second quarter of Week 14 when he was tackled from behind by Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebackers. Having his knee bent awkwardly, Deebo fumbled the ball while grabbing his knee in agony. The cart was brought out to take him to the locker room.

Despite it looking like a much more serious injury, the playmaker is expected back before the end of the regular season, likely fully healthy by Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals. Samuel was seen with a boot on his left foot in the locker room Tuesday, but his spirits have obviously been lifted by the tremendous injury reversal.

That Ain’t Nobody But GOD🤞🏾🙏🏾

— Deebo (@19problemz) December 12, 2022

Besides Samuel, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy is also a name to watch this week, on the injury report due to an oblique/rib injury. Purdy underwent an MRI Monday with tests not showing any real damage to the young QB. Despite the good news, he isn’t in the clear yet, only practicing in a limited fashion before flying to Seattle Wednesday.

“We’ll find that out as these two days go, we don’t have much time, but we’re not going to try to figure that out today or tomorrow. It’d probably be on Thursday where we’d have the best chance to know.” the coach added. “If he plays, he won’t be able to make it worse.”

While his coach is leaning towards the wait-and-see approach, Purdy felt confident at the podium Tuesday, hoping to work through the pain enough to suit up for Thursday night football.

“I feel good,” Purdy said. “Just taking it one day at a time, getting as much treatment as I can…I can still jog and run and do all kind of stuff but haven’t tried playing football yet.”

He has spent the last two days undergoing physical therapy in the pool, trying to tolerate the pain the best he can.