49ers DL Sam Okuayinonu suffered a foot injury in the team’s final practice before flying to Australia for Week 1 against the Rams.
Speaking to the media on Monday, 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan said Okuayinonu’s foot already had a plate in it from a while age. He called it a “bad injury” that will require surgery, and is hopeful Okuayinonu will return later this year if they can extend the season.
“He had a plate in his foot a while ago, and on our bonus practice the day we came, just stepped on it and it broke,” Shanahan said, via Matt Maiocco. “He’s going to have to get surgery. It’s a bad injury. Hopefully we can get him back later in the year, but it was a real tough loss. Hurt for Sam O, hurt for our team, but hopefully we can take care of business and he can come back later in the year.”
Okuayinonu, 28, signed on with the Titans as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland back in May. He was among their final roster cuts coming out of the preseason and has bounced on and off Tennessee’s practice squad.
The 49ers would later sign Okuayinonu to a contract in 2024 and re-signed him as an exclusive rights free agent in 2025. He then re-signed as a restricted free agent on a one-year deal for the 2026 season.
In 2025, Okuayinonu appeared in 15 games for the 49ers while recording 39 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble.
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