San Francisco 49ers superstar wide receiver Deebo Samuel reportedly avoided a serious injury during the team’s Week 14 home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Samuel left the game in the second quarter after suffering what initially appeared to be a knee injury, but the 49ers later declared him out for the game with an ankle injury. Samuel tried walking off the field but wound up being taken off on a cart.
Citing sources, Jordan Schultz of theScore reports that the 49ers’ star “did not suffer a serious injury.” Schultz added that Samuel “badly twisted his ankle,” though the 49ers are “optimistic he’s okay.”
Losing Samuel long-term would be a tough blow for the 49ers, who are already without their two main quarterbacks in Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. Lance suffered an ankle fracture that ended his season in Week 2, and Garoppolo suffered a foot injury last week and is expected to miss the rest of the year.
Samuel was having a strong day against the Buccaneers before his injury, recording four receptions for 21 yards and a touchdown. The 2019 second-round pick also had four receptions for 43 yards.
The 26-year-old has grown into one of the NFL’s top offensive weapons thanks to his ability to flourish as both a pass-catcher and a runner. Last season, Samuel had 77 receptions, 1,405 receiving yards, six touchdowns and 365 rushing yards and eight rushing scores.
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In the offseason, the 49ers and Samuel agreed to a lucrative three-year contract extension worth $71.55 million. Coming into Week 14, Samuel had 50 receptions for 569 yards, two touchdowns and 37 carries for 207 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns.
The 49ers are on a short week and will face the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks in a pivotal Thursday night matchup in Week 15. With both teams in the playoff hunt, this crucial game will carry major postseason implications.
