The San Francisco 49ers fear a severe knee injury for Emmanuel Moseley. With the game well in hand late in the fourth quarter, the veteran cornerback went down with what appeared to be a leg injury. Moseley needed assistance from safety Talanoa Hufanga and a medical staff member to make his way to the sideline.
There was some hope from fans that Moseley might be okay as he was seen putting pressure on his leg once he reached the sideline. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan isn't as optimistic, given the initial tests performed on the starting cornerback.
"Emmanuel Moseley, left knee," Shanahan said after the game while providing injury updates. "They're doing all the stuff (tests) now. We're worried about an ACL [injury] but can't confirm it."
Emmanuel Moseley was on crutches in the locker room, putting no weight on his left leg. #49ers
— Eric Branch (@Eric_Branch) October 9, 2022
That would be devastating news for Moseley and the defensive unit that ranked No. 2 against the pass heading into Week 5.
"Lots of guys got hurt in the game, but it just didn't look good," Shanahan said of the injury. "That definitely took away from a little bit of the excitement at the end, but we know the deal. It's part of this league, and everybody goes through it, but that was a tough one today."
Hufanga agreed that the injury took a little away from the 37-15 win.
"For me, personally, just because E-man is such a special human being to me," Hufanga said after the game. "He's been a leader to me as I came in as a rookie, as well as always having that juice to him, energy, and infectious smile that it just flows throughout the locker room.
"Seeing E-man going down, it almost felt like Trey Lance too. Those are both of my guys. Me, I just wanted to make sure he was OK. ... Sending prayers to him because he's definitely a man of great character, for sure."
Linebacker Fred Warner said, "You just hate to see it. Hopefully, we get decent news on that tomorrow, but you hate it for him. I mean, that's my brother, so that hurts. You just hate to see that."
Shanahan added that Jason Verrett could possibly fill in for Moseley once he is activated off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
"That's a lot to ask from him, just the injuries [he's] coming back [from]," Shanahan noted. "We only got, really, one full-speed practice last week that he could really test it on."
The coach said the 49ers won't base any decision on Verrett on the likely loss of Moseley. It will likely be Samuel Womack or Ambry Thomas filling in for now.
Shanahan also shared that safety Jimmie Ward suffered a broken hand in his first game back from injured reserve, also his first game of the season. Ward only played during the 49ers' first defensive series.
Defensive end Nick Bosa is dealing with a tight groin. He exited the game in the third quarter. Shanahan said Bosa will most likely undergo more tests.
Kicker Robbie Gould hobbled off the field in the third quarter after making a tackle on special teams. He is dealing with a left knee injury. Shanahan suspects that it is a contusion.
"As much as it's easy to say, 'Next man up,' it's not like we're not thinking about those guys and missing them," Warner added while discussing the team's injuries. "But we're going to find a way to get through it and continue to play at a high level."
