The San Francisco 49ers encountered a potential setback in their regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams, as defensive end Clelin Ferrell exited the game with a knee injury. Despite already securing the number one seed and having nothing at stake in Week 18, the 49ers opted to play some starters into the second half.
Ferrell, a key component of the 49ers’ edge rotation throughout the season, left the game in the first half and was subsequently carted off the sideline. The severity of the injury prompted concerns, but head coach Kyle Shanahan provided an initial update after the game, indicating that Ferrell’s injury didn’t involve the ACL or MCL.
“No ACL, no MCL, but we’ll figure out exactly what it is tomorrow,” Shanahan stated.
While acknowledging the possibility that Ferrell could miss the Divisional Round playoff game, the player himself downplayed that concern. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Ferrell left the game as a precaution and expressed optimism about being ready to play in two weeks.
Having wrapped up the 2023 season with 3.5 sacks and a career-high 13 quarterback hits, Ferrell’s potential return for the playoffs would be a significant boost for the 49ers. The encouraging news that the injury appears to be less severe than initially feared leaves room for optimism regarding Ferrell’s impact in the postseason.