Tag: Malik Mustapha

49ers inactives: Lots of good injury news vs. Rams

Thursday Night Football against the Rams will mark the return of two key pieces on the 49ers’ defense.

For the first time maybe all season, the San Francisco 49ers are getting good news when it comes to injuries and inactive for their Thursday Night Football tilt against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium.

Before the positive news, the 49ers announced six inactive players for Thursday night, including All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and rookie safety Malik Mustapha. New running back Israel Abanikanda is also listed as inactive along with QB Joshua Dobbs, DL Khalil Davis and CB Rock Ya-Sin.

Via @AdamSchefter on Twitter:

While they’ll have to figure out how to deal with the Rams without Williams and Mustapha, the 49ers will be getting back defensive star Dre Greenlaw and Nick Bosa.

Along with the highly anticipated returns for Bosa and Greenlaw, the 49ers will also have breakout running back Isaac Guerendo on the field on Thursday. Guerendo has been banged up since his performance last week against the Bears. The rookie running back has been dealing with a foot sprain.

The 49ers will kick off against the Rams on Thursday night at 5:20 p.m. PT.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers may have new starting safety duo after All-Pro returns

The 49ers rolled out a new starting safeties combination on Sunday.

The San Francisco 49ers throttled the Chicago Bears on Sunday, 38-13.

After back-to-back forgettable defensive performances in losses at the Green Bay Packers and at the Buffalo Bills, the 49ers returned home to Levi’s Stadium and put together a first-half performance for the ages.

San Francisco limited Chicago to four yards of total offense and one first down in the first half. Chicago’s four yards of offense were the fewest by any NFL team in a first half this season, while San Francisco’s 319 yards of offense were the most of any NFL team in a first half this season.

The 315-yard margin was the highest by a 49ers team in any half over the past 40 seasons.

Part of the recipe to create that level of dominance was San Francisco’s new combination of starting safeties in fourth-year pro Talanoa Hufanga and in rookie Malik Mustapha.

After missing the past seven games with a right wrist injury, Hufanga returned against the Bears and registered five tackles. Meanwhile, Mustapha tallied five tackles of his own.

According to Pro Football Focus, Mustapha registered 45 defensive snaps and Hufanga totaled 39. Former starting safety Ji’Ayir Brown tallied 15 defensive snaps.

On Monday, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shared why he opted in favor of Mustapha over Brown.

“Just how Malik’s been playing. I think he’s been playing at a high level. He’s been one of the better players on our defense, I think, here over the last month or so. So it’s nothing against Tig. We still want Tig to be out there, but when we had to make a decision, we kept Mustapha out there,” Shanahan said.

Shanahan was also pleased with the way Hufanga jumped right back into the fold for the 49ers.

“I thought he did a real good job. Loved having Huf back. Even the first play of the game, for him to get in on that tackle. His communication, everything, just helping the defense get lined up and stuff is extremely good and it was a real good first game for him,” Shanahan said.

Shanahan made it clear that the decision to pair Hufanga and Mustapha wasn’t an indictment on Brown’s production.

“No, I think it’s the same as last year. I think Tig’s playing like a good starting safety. We just, Huf’s been our guy there and has done some big things when he’s been healthy, as everyone knows with Huf.

“And Huf had a great week of practice and we wanted to get him on the field and we had to choose one guy to come off. So, we thought Mustapha had earned that over his play the last month to stay out there and we’re good with our decision,” Shanahan said.

As San Francisco (6-7) navigates a short week before its Thursday night date versus the Los Angeles Rams (7-6), the 49ers are hoping for good injury news with the aforementioned Mustapha.

Mustapha was a limited participant with a chest and shoulder ailment in San Francisco’s initial injury report versus the Rams.

Kickoff against Los Angeles is set for 5:15 p.m. PT in Santa Clara, Calif., with the game set to air on Prime Video.

49ers may turn to familiar face at safety as standout rookie battles injury

There may be a familiar face back in the secondary for the 49ers on Sunday.

The San Francisco 49ers recently brought a familiar face back onto their practice squad. Now they may need to turn to that familiar face in their Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tashaun Gipson was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars and quickly scooped up by the 49ers to join their practice squad. He offered good internal depth San Francisco knew it could rely on after he spent the 2022 and 2023 campaigns as the 49ers’ starting free safety.

Rookie Malik Mustapha has stepped into a starting role nicely after veteran Talanoa Hufanga went down with a wrist injury. Now Mustapha is dealing with an injury of his own, opening the door for Gipson to get back on the roster for game day.

Mustapha suffered a calf injury that limited him in Thursday and Friday’s practices. He’s officially listed as ‘questionable.’ Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday told reporters Gipson is a potential replacement for Mustapha if the rookie can’t go Sunday.

“Yeah, he is in the mix,” Shanahan said. “Especially with Mustapha being questionable. He got a week in practice at Jacksonville, he’s done awesome this week in his three days. And we’ll discuss that with him over these next 24 hours. It’s nicer being on the east coast, we get until four o’clock instead of one. But those are all things that he looks good enough to do it. Just kind of depends on the health of everyone else.”

Gipson spent most of the preseason with the Jaguars after signing in mid-August. He didn’t appear in a game for them before getting released in early November.

He played in 33 games across two seasons with the 49ers, and registered six interceptions with 11 pass breakups.

The 49ers and Buccaneers are slated to kick off at 10:00am Pacific Time from Raymond James Stadium.

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Hard-hitting rookie standing out to 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan

The rookie out of Wake Forest recorded a team-high 12 tackles against the Chiefs.

During their ugly loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday, one of the bright spots for the San Francisco 49ers was the play of rookie safety Malik Mustapha.
The rookie out of Wake Forest led the 49ers in tackles with 12. Along with leading the team in tackles, Mustapha helped provide a spark to the defense with some physicality and highlight-worthy hits.
Yet, his breakout performance was curbed by Mustapha being on the wrong end of a run from Patrick Mahomes. Late in the game, Mahomes ran for a Chiefs touchdown. On his way to the endzone, the Chiefs quarterback ran over Mustapha at the goal line. After the game, Mustapha quickly took to Twitter with a joke about being run over by Mahomes.
On Wednesday when asked about Mustapha, head coach Kyle Shanahan had praise for the 49ers’ rookie safety. Shanahan said he thinks Mustapha played one of the better games of his rookie season. Shanahan also commented on Mustapha getting trucked by Mahomes at the end of the game.
Oh, he’s been awesome. I thought he played a really good game. I thought he had one of the better games on our team. I thought he had some really good hits. He got in an unfortunate position on the goal line, but that’s what I like about him. He’s not going to sit there and take a creative angle, even if he’s not in position to have his legs under him he’s going to just throw his body out there and do whatever he can. And unfortunately, you’ve got to deal with social media these days. But I haven’t had to deal with it, so I don’t know how bad it is for him. I thought he had one of his better games.
During Sunday’s Week 7 contest, Mustapha punished Chiefs playmakers with multiple big hits that echoed through Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Shanahan said Mustapha uses a “sprint tackle.”
Yeah, you can hear it, you can see it. He’s one of those guys that, we call it a sprint-tackle. He doesn’t really, you have a long-stride to eat up the grass and a short-stride to kind of hit guys and he’s just long-stride. He kind of goes right through them and there’s one speed and that’s the best way to tackle guys, as long as you don’t miss.
With secondary-leader Talanoa Hufanga dealing with a wrist injury, the 49ers will continue to lean on the rookie safety as an anchor on the back end of their defense.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers DB Malik Mustapha takes to Twitter after getting trucked by Patrick Mahomes

Check out what #49ers DB Malik Mustapha had to say on Twitter after getting trucked on a touchdown run by #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in Week 7

Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to a Week 7 victory in a Super Bowl LVIII rematch against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon.

Though the reigning Super Bowl MVP’s performance was imperfect, his ability to improvise helped extend the Chiefs’ lead late in the game to help Kansas City stay on top of the ever-threatening 49ers.

In an iconic turn of events, Mahomes took matters into his own hands and trucked San Francisco defensive back Malik Mustapha to score an impressive touchdown that helped seal the game in the Chiefs’ favor.

Take a look at Mahomes’ ‘angry run’ in this video that was posted to Twitter by the Chiefs’ official account:

 

Mustapha chimed in on the matter in a post of his own on Sunday night, indicating that he knew Mahomes had won the battle of brawn on this particular play.

 

Stay tuned to see if Mahomes can continue his run of dominance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8.

Chiefs vs. 49ers: Patrick Mahomes trucks Malik Mustapha for impressive TD

#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes wasn’t afraid to get physical against #49ers DB Malik Mustapha to score a touchdown in Week 7.

The Kansas City Chiefs offense had largely stalled in Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII rematch against the San Francisco 49ers until quarterback Patrick Mahomes took matters into his own hands.

With very little going for Kansas City heading into the fourth quarter, the reigning Super Bowl MVP got creative in the ground game, picking up some much-needed yardage to put the Chiefs near the end zone.

When Kansas City seemed to stall on the goal line, Mahomes decided to scramble between his offensive linemen and truck 49ers defensive back Malik Mustapha to extend the Chiefs lead.

Check out Mahomes’ heroic efforts that kept Kansas City ahead in these videos, which were posted to Twitter by the Chiefs’ official account:

Despite his two interceptions in the game, Mahomes helped keep his team ahead with these outstanding efforts.

Stay tuned to see if Mahomes and Kansas City can hang on to remain undefeated heading into their Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on October 27.

 

Kyle Shanahan confirms injury diagnosis for 49ers RB, team may need new kicker

Some 49ers injury updates for ya.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Friday in a conference call that running back Jordan Mason avoided a major shoulder injury in the 49ers’ win over the Seahawks on Thursday night.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday morning reported Mason is dealing with an AC joint sprain in his shoulder. Shanahan said Mason is officially day-to-day with that sprain. He has a chance to suit up in Week 7 when the 49ers host the Kansas City Chiefs.

That wasn’t the only good news for the 49ers on the injury front. Rookie safety Malik Mustapha, who left Thursday’s game with an ankle injury, is only dealing with a low ankle sprain. He’s day-to-day and could be ready to go after the mini-bye following the Thursday night game. Mustapha posted his first career interception in the first quarter against the Seahawks.

On the other hand, the 49ers may be in search of another kicker.

Matthew Wright was signed to replace Jake Moody after Moody suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 5. On the final kick return of the game Thursday night, Wright was forced to step up and make a tackle. He dislocated his shoulder briefly. The team is still awaiting test results before determining whether he’ll be available in Week 7.

If Wright can’t go in Week 7, the 49ers will need to sign another kicker.

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49ers injury news immediately following win over Seahawks

The rookie safety was ruled out against the Seahawks after suffering an ankle injury.

While the San Francisco 49ers secured a much-needed win over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football, the injury bug continued to roll in Seattle on Thursday.

Multiple players, including breakout running back Jordan Mason and rookie defensive back Malik Mustapha exited the game against the Seahawks on Thursday night.

Following the game, Kyle Shanahan provided some injury updates regarding some of the players who missed time against the Seahawks. Jordan Mason suffered a shoulder injury. He did return after exiting the game, but played only one snap in the second half. Shanahan told reporters that Mason could play again if needed.

Starting guard Aaron Banks dealt with cramps against the Seahawks. New kicker Matthew Wright suffered a shoulder injury.

After securing the first interception of his career, 49ers rookie safety Malik Mustapha was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. After the game, Shanahan revealed Mustapha suffered a low ankle sprain.

Via @HollowayNFLN on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/HollowayNFLN/status/1844585296996008301

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers rookie secures first career interception on Thursday Night Football vs. Seahawks

The 49ers rookie secured his first career interception in primetime against the Seahawks.

With Talanoa Hufanga and Charvarius Ward sidelined, the San Francisco 49ers’ needed a player from their secondary to step up against Geno Smith, DK Metcalf and the Seattle Seahawks high-powered offense on Thursday Night Football. A rookie in the 49ers secondary answered the bell.

With the Seahawks threatening on the opening drive of the game, Malik Mustapha sparked the 49ers defense with a timely turnover. Smith sailed a pass toward Tyler Lockett, which ended up in Mustapha’s hands in the endzone.

Via @49ers on Twitter:

The fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest secured his first interception in the second start of his young career. Following Mustapha’s interception, the 49ers capitalized with a field goal to take the first lead of the game on Thursday night against the Seahawks.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers injury update: SS Talanoa Hufanga out with torn wrist ligaments

Talanoa Hufanga has a wrist injury that will cause him to miss time.

The San Francisco 49ers will once again have to navigate life without former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Tuesday told reporters in a press conference that Hufanga has torn ligaments in his wrist and will miss about a month, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Hufanga injured his wrist in the first half of the 49ers’ Week 5 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He left to the locker room and was quickly ruled out – an indication that the injury might be at least semi-serious.

It’s been a rough go for the 2022 All-Pro over the last couple of years. He tore his ACL in Week 11 last season and wasn’t able to return during training camp. He wound up missing the 49ers’ first two games this season.

Hufanga made it through his Week 3 debut healthy, but rolled his ankle in practice in the lead-up to Week 4 and wasn’t able to play in the team’s win over the New England Patriots. He returned in Week 5 where he hurt his wrist early.

Now he’ll miss a month, which could mean he’s out only three games. The 49ers face the Seahawks on Thursday, then host the Chiefs on Oct. 20 and the Cowboys on Oct. 27. Then they have a bye week and return on Nov. 10 against the Buccaneers in Tampa, which would be the earliest he’s able to come back.

In the meantime it’s likely that rookie Malik Mustapha will fill in as the starter after snagging that job away from veteran George Odum. Odum was the starter throughout camp and in the first two weeks. Mustapha took all the defensive snaps for San Francisco after Hufanga’s Week 5 injury.

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