On Monday, the 49ers received terrible news as the MRI confirmed that All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga sustained a torn ACL in his right knee.
According to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, Hufanga will undergo surgery to repair the torn ligament, and the season-ending injury resulted from a non-contact play when his right knee buckled while tackling Tampa Bay running back Rachaad White.
Initial tests confirmed the severity of the injury, and Hufanga was escorted to the locker room and later left Levi’s Stadium on crutches with a large brace on his leg.
“That is sickening news,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said, as the medical staff determined that Hufanga most likely sustained the tear to his ACL.
The return from an ACL injury typically takes around nine months, and Hufanga has a chance to be ready for the start of the 2024 season.
“He’ll need a plan for training camp, but with the time and everything, if everything goes smoothly, he should be ready for Week 1,” Shanahan stated on Monday.
Hufanga, a three-year NFL player, was selected by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of USC. Last year, he moved into a starting role and was named to the NFC Pro Bowl team and first-team All-Pro after recording 97 tackles, four interceptions, and a touchdown.
Hufanga, who is tied for the team-lead this season with three interceptions, was replaced by rookie Ji’Ayir Brown in the 49ers’ victory over the Buccaneers. Brown is scheduled to make his first NFL start on Thursday night when the 49ers return to action in a crucial NFC West matchup at the Seattle Seahawks.
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