Mike Evans Exits 49ers’ 23-17 Win Over Commanders With Achilles Injury; Shanahan Sees No Long-Term Issue
San Francisco's leading receiver left Monday night's 23-17 win over Washington late in the second quarter after aggravating a sore right Achilles. Coach Kyle Shanahan called it a tendinitis flare-up and said he does not expect it to be a long-term problem.
The San Francisco 49ers stayed unbeaten with a 23-17 win over the Washington Commanders on Monday night, but the victory cost them their top receiver. Wide receiver Mike Evans left the game late in the second quarter with a sore right Achilles and did not return.
Evans went down after a 16-yard catch with 1:10 left in the first half, with the 49ers leading 13-3. He was untouched until he reached the turf, then pointed to his right leg and limped to the locker room with team trainers. The 49ers later ruled him out for the rest of the game.
Evans had been a game-time decision. He did not practice all week while dealing with Achilles soreness and injured ribs, and he was listed as questionable. Before leaving, he caught three passes for a team-high 94 yards, including a 54-yard reception in the opening minutes.
Shanahan: tendinitis flare-up, no further testing planned
After the game, coach Kyle Shanahan said Evans had aggravated the same Achilles tendinitis that kept him out of practice all week. “It’s the same thing that was bothering him all week,” Shanahan said. Asked whether Evans would need further testing or imaging on the Achilles, Shanahan said, “I don’t believe so.”
Shanahan added that he did not expect the injury to sideline Evans for long. “When you have Achilles tendinitis like he does, it kind of is what it is,” he said. “It flared up tonight. I hope that he recovers throughout the week, but I don’t think it’s a long-term thing.”
He also acknowledged the staff knew before kickoff that Evans might not finish the game. “It was a pretty close call in terms of that he wasn’t able to go all week,” Shanahan said. “Just talking to Mike, just something he has dealt with in the past in his career and he felt confident to be good today. That was the confidence he gave me, but we knew he might not be able to last.”
A depleted receiving corps
Evans, 33, is the 49ers’ leading receiver this season with 27 catches for a team-best 420 yards and three touchdowns, according to theScore. He joined San Francisco in free agency after a 12-year run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, signing a three-year deal worth up to $42.4 million.
The 49ers were already thin at the position. Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk all missed Monday night’s game, though Kirk could return as soon as next week, according to Sportsnet. Washington also lost a receiver: Terry McLaurin was carted off with a knee injury.
Evans’ status for Sunday’s game at Atlanta is uncertain. That game is the 49ers’ last before their bye week, and Shanahan said he hoped Evans would be ready: “Hopefully, he’ll be able to play next week. But if not, we’ll have to have the rest of the group step up and hopefully get him healed up by after the bye week.”
Reporting based on coverage by Reuters, theScore, Sportsnet and the New York Post.
