‘Really Tough Loss,’ ‘More Substation Casualties’ — NFL Fans React to Devastating De’Zhaun Stribling Injury Update for 49ers
‘Really Tough Loss,’ ‘More Substation Casualties’ — NFL Fans React to Devastating De’Zhaun Stribling Injury Update for 49ers
Colin Witte Wed, September 16, 2026 at 9:07 PM UTC
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‘Really Tough Loss,’ ‘More Substation Casualties’ — NFL Fans React to Devastating De’Zhaun Stribling Injury Update for 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers spent most of Week 1 celebrating what looked like an ideal start to the season. Five days later, the cost of their 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams keeps getting heavier.
Rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, one of the brightest stories of San Francisco’s summer, is now expected to miss close to 10 weeks after undergoing surgery on his injured left ankle. For a team that has spent years seemingly unable to escape major injuries, the reaction was equal parts disappointment and grim familiarity.
De’Zhaun Stribling Injury Update Hits 49ers Hard
Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that Stribling suffered a ruptured deltoid ligament and required surgery. The 49ers are hopeful the rookie can return later this season, but the new timetable is far longer than the initial expectation that he would miss at least a month.
The setback comes after Stribling’s NFL debut ended on a cart in Melbourne. He initially injured the ankle, returned briefly, then went down again on a non-contact play in the second quarter. His Achilles was intact, but theinjury concerns became much more serious after further testing.
One fanwrote online, “really tough loss here. was clearly the most involved 49ers WR prior to his injury and seems like a huge loss to this passing offense.”
Another fansummed it up with one word: “Pain.”
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A separate reactionread simply, “try to stay healthy on the Niners challenge.”
Then came the inevitable injury-history jokes. One accountjoked afterward, “More substation casualties.”
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Another fanposted simply, “McCaffrey and Mike Evans,” while sharing an image of Vecna from Stranger Things, implying that the veteran wideout and running back are feeding off injuries of teammates to keep themselves healthy.
The reactions reflect how quickly San Francisco’s depth has already been tested. Ricky Pearsall is out for the season, while tight end Jake Tonges is also expected to miss the remainder of the year after suffering an MCL injury in the opener.
Stribling’s Absence Removes a Promising Piece
Stribling did not record a catch before leaving Week 1, but his role had been growing rapidly. The No. 33 overall pick caught 11 passes for 109 yards across his first two preseason games and had pushed his way into meaningful work in a crowded veteran receiving room.
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One fanlooked ahead, “Jake Tonges is out for the year. De’Zhaun Stribling will miss 10 weeks. The rest of the offense is injury prone. This only means one thing… It’s Deebo season⚡.”
After seeing Tonges and Stribling both get hurt, one fan wrote, “2 more substation casualties.”
That depth may now matter even more. The 49ers still posted an 83.9PFN Offense Impact score in Week 1, ranking No. 6 in the NFL, but Stribling’s injury removes a young receiver San Francisco hoped could ease the burden on veterans such as Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey.
The 49ers have survived plenty of injury waves under Shanahan. Losing one of their most promising rookies for roughly half the regular season before he records his first NFL catch is an especially harsh way to test that reputation again.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
Source: “AOL Sports”
