The San Francisco 49ers just welcomed Chase Young into the mix, but now they are losing another integral part of their defense.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters after Sunday’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that safety Talanoa Hufanga “most likely” suffered a torn ACL in his knee during the game, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Shanahan added that there will be further testing on Hufanga to confirm the belief.
The 23-year-old Hufanga, who was a Pro Bowler and a First Team All-Pro in 2022, had to exit Sunday’s game after suffering a non-contact injury. He was attempting to tackle Bucs running back Rachaad White in the open field but got juked out and had his right leg buckle awkwardly.
You can see the video of the play below.
Take a look at Talanoa Hufanga’s right knee 🙏pic.twitter.com/WclcbAwxHL
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) November 19, 2023
Hufanga has emerged as an emotional leader of the San Francisco defense who sets the tone with his hard hits and his ability to get under the skin of his opponents. While the now 7-3 Niners have enough defensive talent to overcome Hufanga’s injury, losing his ability in coverage and as a tackler certainly hurts.
