San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is set to miss the rest of the season with a suspected torn ACL sustained in Sunday’s 28-18 defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Aiyuk, who signed a four-year, $120million contract extension in August, was hit late in the second quarter by two Chiefs defenders and exited for the locker room.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said: “That’s what it looks like [a torn ACL], but we don’t know for sure. Been wrong before. So, praying that we are.”
Tight end George Kittle added: “It sucks. I love Brandon Aiyuk, the energy that he brings, what he can do on the football field, routes, catching the ball. He’s an incredible football player. You can’t really replace, in my opinion, one of the best receivers in the NFL.”
It is another blow for San Francisco, whose season remains stuck in second gear.
Final from #KCvsSF pic.twitter.com/c4jCuyrz8x
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 20, 2024
They were undermanned against a Chiefs team who are also struggling with health concerns but Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes were able to find a way.
In contrast, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy went 17-for-31 for 212 yards and two touchdown runs but, crucially, three interceptions that Mahomes was able to capitalize on.
“We didn’t do anything really good on offense,” Shanahan said. “I know he’d love to have all three of those picks back. Brock’s been playing unbelievable this year. He’s done some good things on offense this year but today wasn’t that day.”
The defeat, in a rematch of February’s Super Bowl LVIII also won by the Chiefs, sees San Francisco fall to 3-4 and their playoff hopes are already receding.
Pearsall debuts
There was one reason to smile on Sunday, though, with Ricky Pearsall making his debut just 50 days after being shot in an armed robbery attempt in downtown San Francisco.
Pearsall, who ended with three catches, said: “It meant everything considering all the adversity I went through this past month. It was really good to go out there with my guys again.”
