The San Francisco 49ers managed to pull off a 31-17 win on the road over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, getting off to a 1-0 start following this Week 1 victory.
And while the game was ugly for both teams, especially from an offensive vantage point, the Niners might have been dealt a significant blow to one of their key players, running back Tevin Coleman.
Coleman suffered an ankle injury midway through the contest after picking up 23 yards on six carries on the ground, also adding 33 more yards on two receptions before halftime. He did not return in the second half and was ruled out.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters what he knew of Coleman's injury after the game, and it wasn't particularly hopeful.
"We'll have to get X-rays and see after this game," Shanahan said of Coleman's injury during his postgame presser.
It wasn't clear when Coleman suffered the injury, as there wasn't any notable time taken away from the field during the game broadcast. What is known, however, is Coleman was later seen walking out of the locker room with a boot on his left foot, according to NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco:
Tevin Coleman left locker room with boot on left foot. He'll undergo MRI exam in Youngstown Monday.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) September 8, 2019
Shanahan was asked what the Niners might do, should Coleman's injury be serious.
"We love Jeff [Wilson], who is on our practice squad," Shanahan continued. "Jeff's a great player, and we'll see what's up with Tevin and how long he will be out. And you see what else is out there.
"We like to have three guys up on game day. If Tevin can't go, we'll have two and most likely bring Jeff up."
Shanahan's last statements could merely be precautionary, guarding against the possibility of a long-term injury to Coleman and a contingency plan in place, should that be the reality.
Ideally, of course, the Niners wouldn't have to worry about Coleman being out for an extended period of time.
Keep an eye on Coleman's status updates in coming days, of course.
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Written by:Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
