SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brock Purdy can be with out his favourite goal from the 2023 season after exams confirmed that Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL within the second quarter of the San Francisco 49ers’ Sunday loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, a staff supply confirmed.
Aiyuk, 26, led San Francisco with 1,342 receiving yards a yr in the past and his 51-yard seize after the ball deflected off an opponent’s helmet within the NFC Championship – the 49ers trailed the Detroit Lions 24-10 on the time – was maybe the staff’s most iconic second of the season. Aiyuk parlayed final yr’s numbers right into a four-year, $120 million contract in the summertime.
The negotiation course of, nevertheless, was contentious and drawn out, with Aiyuk at one level asking to be traded to both the Pittsburgh Steelers or Washington Commanders. That didn’t sit effectively with the staff’s fanbase, nor did Aiyuk’s sideline antics throughout coaching camp and his gradual begin to the season after the deal was lastly consummated on the finish of August.
He’s gone over 100 receiving yards simply as soon as this season — 147 yards in a Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals — and his season ends with out him scoring a landing. He additionally has three drops, together with a giant one in opposition to the Chiefs, after having simply two all of final season. Aiyuk’s 374 receiving yards at the moment rank third on the staff behind Jauan Jennings (404) and George Kittle (375).
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With the commerce deadline practically two weeks away, Kyle Shanahan was requested after Sunday’s sport if the 49ers will make a transfer on the place. In 2019, for instance, they made a mid-season commerce for veteran Emmanuel Sanders that appeared to energise their offense.
“I don’t know, it relies upon what’s out there, depends upon the danger and reward with the whole lot,” he stated. “We glance into the whole lot and each state of affairs, however must stability all that out.”
The 49ers nonetheless have loads of weapons even with out Aiyuk. Jennings (hip) and Deebo Samuel (sickness) missed all or most of Sunday’s sport however are anticipated again for the Week 8 contest in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys. In the meantime, the 49ers are hoping to get operating again Christian McCaffrey — who had 564 receiving yards final season – again sooner or later following the Week 9 bye.
The 49ers additionally received good manufacturing out of rookie receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing within the second half Sunday. Purdy focused Pearsall 4 instances within the half, probably the most of any cross catcher. Cowing, in the meantime, completed with 50 receiving yards on simply eight routes run in opposition to the Chiefs.
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(Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Pictures)
