Deebo Samuel likely sustained a high ankle sprain rather than a fracture during the San Francisco 49ers' 35-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Samuel's season appeared to be in jeopardy when he was carted off in the first quarter of the 49ers' victory on Sunday, after his knee was trapped and twisted under a mass of bodies.
The All-Pro wide receiver was unable to get to his feet following the concerning incident, but encouraging reports subsequently suggested he had avoided a major injury.
49ers coach Shanahan offered a positive update on Samuel's condition after the win, telling reporters the wide receiver did not suffer a fracture.
Shanahan added Samuel's injury was "most likely" a sprain, though reports said the 26-year-old would undergo tests on Monday.
The 49ers had already established a commanding 21-0 lead before Samuel's injury, and they entered half-time 28-0 up in what represented a dream first start for stand-in quarterback Brock Purdy.
"Everyone knows how much Deebo means to us, but half-time is so hectic and it was awesome to finish that half with the score," Shanahan said of losing Samuel.
"We didn't really do anything differently after half-time."
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, meanwhile, praised the team's reaction to Samuel's exit.
"We hate to see guys go down, especially one of our leaders like Deebo," he said. "You've just got to go with the punches and just keep fighting and that's what everybody on this team did.
"That's just the type of team that we've got. You get hit in the mouth and you've got to just keep fighting."
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