The San Francisco 49ers open their season against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday in the first-ever NFL game played in Australia. Most of the starters on both sides have traveled for the game and are expected to play, including Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald. So fans should be in for a treat.
But Sam Okuayinonu, one of the 49ers' top defensive linemen, not only won't travel for or play in the game, but is apparently dealing with an injury that's far more severe than initially believed. Last week, Okuayinonu popped up late on the injury report with a foot injury, but it wasn't believed to be serious at the time. Now, it's looking like he could miss most, if not the entire 2026 season.
"He had a plate in his foot a while ago, and on our bonus practice the day we came, just stepped on it and it broke," said head coach Kyle Shanahan Monday morning. "He’s going to have to get surgery. Hopefully we can get him back later in the year, but it was a real tough loss.
Hurt for Sam O, hurt for our team, but hopefully we can take care of business, and he can come back later in the year." More news: Latest Chiefs Injury News is the Last Thing Patrick Mahomes Wants to Hear More news: Falcons Stun Fans With Week 1 Starting QB Decision Okuayinonu may not have the name recognition as a Nick Bosa or Fred Warner, but he's quickly become one of the most impactful pass rushers in San Francisco. Last season with the 49ers, he posted 39 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, three sacks, and one forced fumble across 15 games, including 12 starts. He was expected to play a big role on the defense again this year, potentially starting on the other side of the defensive line opposite Bosa.
Defense has been a big part of the 49ers' success under Shanahan, and losing a reliable starter for potentially the entire year this close to the season opener is absolutely devastating for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. More news: Rams Get Good News on Puka Nacua After Rare Injury
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