While the 49ers won the battle against the Cardinals last Sunday, it came with a brutal injury to top free-agent acquisition Mike Evans.
Evans was carted off during the second quarter after taking a hit in the ribs from Budda Baker. Evans missed the rest of the game.
Evans didn’t practice with the team this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
On Friday, Evans spoke with reporters about the collision and recalled it as one of the more painful rib injuries he’s felt.
At first, he said he didn’t feel anything, then suddenly, he did.
“That s–t hurt bad,” Evans said. “It was like non-contact. … When I ran my route, I turned; I just felt like him ‘ah.’ I thought someone stabbed me in my chest.”
Evans dropped to a knee after the hit and was seen in agonizing pain until the 49ers’ medical staff came to help him.
Once he was off the field, Evans applauded the medical staff and said it did a “good job getting me off the field.”
“It felt like I got hit in the head. My head was ringing,” Evans said. “But I didn’t feel nothing in my chest or rib area.”
For now, it appears that Evans avoided a serious injury. Which is good news for the 49ers, who have been decimated by injuries — specifically at wide receiver.
Coach Kyle Shanahan, who is known for being selective about the information he gives about his team, was asked about Evans’ injury on Friday, and as usual, he didn’t bite.
Shanahan didn’t rule out Evans and instead had fun with the question by joking about his own rib injury he suffered in a car accident during the summer.
“[Evans] is definitely a lot tougher than me,” Shanahan said. “So hopefully we’ve got a shot.”
Through three games this season, Evans has made an impressive impact with the Niners. He is tied in team receptions with George Kittle (12), totaling 137 yards, including three plays that were logged for catches over 20-plus yards and two touchdowns.
