As if the climb wasn’t steep enough, Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers are trending towards missing yet another key player. Following the 34-24 victory over the New York Giants, the team in San Fran fears a star rookie’s year might be over early in the 2025 NFL season.
Shanahan and the 49ers simply can’t catch a break in the NFL. The win over the Giants at MetLife Stadium was much needed for the Niners, but it came at a price. According to reports, rookie Mykel Williams could be sidelined for a long time after sustaining a knee injury.
“Mykel Williams is feared to have torn his ACL, coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters. A brutal season at this spot. MRI coming,” as reported by NFL insider Ian Rapoport on X (formerly Twitter). “We’re worried it’s ACL, but we won’t know until tomorrow,” Shanahan told media after the game.
Williams exited the game late in the fourth quarter while pressuring quarterback Jaxson Dart. His leg got tangled up on the turf, and he was late to get up. However, fans thought the 49ers might have dodged a bullet as Williams walked out under his own power. With several absences on the defensive line, the rookie out of Georgia was on track to become a main name on the trenches for Shanahan.
Mykel Williams of the San Francisco 49ers
Inactive stars in The Bay
Since the 2025 NFL season got underway, Shanahan and the Niners witnessed players go down like flies with long-time injuries. On the defensive side of the ball, San Francisco is currently missing its two best players, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, who are out for the season. Moreover, the 49ers are without Yetur Gross-Matos, Bryce Huff, and CJ West, in the midst of a crucial stage of the campaign.
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As if the defense didn’t already have enough headaches, the offense isn’t much better off. Shanahan has been forced to work overtime to compensate for the absences of Brandon Aiyuk, Brock Purdy, and Ricky Pearsall. As a result, Christian McCaffrey’s workload has expanded, putting his stamina and endurance to the ultimate test.
Remaining schedule
Somehow someway, Shanahan and the Niners keep finding ways to compete and win games in the NFL season. However, entering the home stretch of the year, San Fran will truly be put to the test with every game meaning even more. The Niners have eight games left on the campaign.
- vs Los Angeles Rams (November 9)
- at Arizona Cardinals (November 16)
- vs Carolina Panthers (November 24)
- at Cleveland Browns (November 30)
- vs Tennessee Titans (December 14)
- at Indianapolis Colts (December 22)
- vs Chicago Bears (December 28)
- vs Seattle Seahawks (TBD)
