The San Francisco 49ers lost much more than just their matchup on Sunday against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. In the first place, Brandon Aiyuk suffered a torn ACL and MCL; his season is over.
And now, wide receiver Deebo Samuel has been hospitalized due to pneumonia as well as fluid in his lungs, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Samuel departed Sunday’s game after requiring the use of an oxygen mask; currently, there’s no timetable for his return.
Following the game, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan gave more insight into his departure.
“Throat, stomach things, just real fatigued,” Shanahan said. “Struggled to breathe, couldn’t catch his breath … he kept trying to fight through it, but once he was struggling with the breathing and everything, we had to shut him down.”
The team first knew there was an issue when Samuel struggled to catch his breath during pre-game drills and was also seen consulting with a doctor; he played only four snaps against the Chiefs before departing.
The shorthanded 49ers host the rival Dallas Cowboys next Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. Whether or not Samuel will be available to suit up for the important clash remains to be seen.
Deebo Samuel is the latest loss for the shorthanded 49ers
Samuel’s ailment is only the latest setback for the 49ers, who were already without Christian McCaffrey thanks to his calf/Achilles injury. They also faced the Chiefs without Jauan Jennings.
Originally selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the 49ers, Samuel has become one of the most effective players at his position after earning multiple accolades playing college football with South Carolina.
Thanks to his accomplishments in the 2021 NFL season, Samuel earned a Pro Bowl appearance along with first-team All-Pro honors.
So far this season, which is his sixth in the NFL, he’s racked up 335 yards and one touchdown on a total of 25 receptions.
