San Francisco 49ers

Nike announced Wednesday that San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel has signed an endorsement contract with its Jordan Brand.

"To me, it's surreal and truly special to hear I'm joining the family," Samuel said. "As a kid, all I wanted were J's. Being a part of the Jordan Brand is something I've always wanted, and for it to be a reality is special to me. It's a dream come true to be a Jordan Brand athlete and help carry this legacy forward to the next generation on and off the field."

Deebo joins the Jumpman family 🔥 @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/ZJgtuVVaeH

— B/R Kicks (@brkicks) September 28, 2022

Samuel becomes the seventh NFL receiver to join Jumpman alongside Davante Adams, Chase Claypool, Stefon Diggs, Jarvis Landry, Sterling Shepard and Michael Thomas.

"I'm looking forward to inspiring the young football players and young kids out there who want to create greatness in their own way," the 2021 Pro Bowler said.

Nike said he was selected as someone who could uphold the Jordan Brand's "standard of excellence."

Samuel showcased game-changing versatility last season, tallying 1,770 yards from scrimmage (1,405 receiving and 365 rushing) and 14 total touchdowns across 16 appearances to earn a First-Team All-Pro selection.

The Niners rewarded his success with a three-year, $71.6 million contract extension in July.

"We are overjoyed to have come together with Deebo to keep him with the 49ers for years to come," general manager John Lynch said. "Deebo has the rare ability to not only play at a unique level but to inspire his teammates with the way he plays. He is a special player that embodies 'will meeting skill.' We're proud to move forward with him as an integral leader and foundational piece of our team."

Between the new contract and his endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand, it's been a successful couple of months for the 26-year-old South Carolina native.

Samuel, who's recorded 242 total yards in three games so far this season, and the Niners are back in action Monday night when they host the reigning Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams at Levi's Stadium for a key NFC West clash.

The San Francisco 49ers suffered a significant blow to their offensive line when stalwart left tackle Trent Williams was injured Sunday, and he will be sidelined for at least the next few weeks.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that a high ankle sprain will cause Williams to miss "some time," adding that surgery is not required and the recovery typically takes four to six weeks.

Williams suffered the injury in San Francisco's 11-10 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football. He exited the game in the third quarter after a play on which 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety when he dropped back to pass.

The No. 4 pick in the 2010 NFL draft, Williams quickly developed into one of the best players at his position. He is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection and earned first-team All-Pro honors last season. The 34-year-old appeared in a combined 29 games for San Francisco in 2020 and 2021 and is key to the offense.

"It's tough," Garoppolo said after the game. "Trent's a warrior. Hopefully, he bounces back fast, but it's always tough when you lose a guy like that, especially the leadership that he brings to this team. The poise and everything that he brings, it will be tough to replace that. But we've got to."

The 49ers had already lost second-year quarterback Trey Lance for the season because of a broken ankle.

When Williams went down, he was initially replaced by Jaylon Moore before the team switched to Colton McKivitz. The 49ers will return to action on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams.

The San Francisco 49ers lost more than the game to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that left tackle Trent Williams likely suffered a high ankle sprain in the 11-10 defeat. He exited the game in the third quarter on a disastrous play for the 49ers that saw Jimmy Garoppolo step out of the back of the end zone for a safety when he dropped back to pass deep in his own territory.

Colton McKivitz initially came in at left tackle to replace him, but the 49ers then switched to Jaylon Moore later in the contest.

Losing Williams for any time would be a blow for a 1-2 San Francisco team that already lost starting quarterback Trey Lance for the season to injury. Williams is one of the best offensive linemen of his generation and has a resume that includes nine Pro Bowl selections.

He entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft and appeared in a combined 29 games for the 49ers in 2020 and 2021.

Williams earned an incredible overall player grade of 97.8 from Pro Football Focus last season, the single highest grade ever given by the company.

His injury was part of a stunning loss by the 49ers, as their defense was in control of the majority of the game before Garoppolo's mistakes proved too much to overcome. In addition to the safety, he also lost a fumble and threw a pass into double coverage that got tipped to Jonas Griffith for an interception when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter.

Things don't get much easier for San Francisco with a Week 4 showdown against the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football.

Blocking a defensive line that features Aaron Donald is always a daunting task, and it will be that much more difficult if Williams is sidelined.

Jimmy Garoppolo might want to stay off social media for a while.

The San Francisco 49ers defense played more than well enough to win in Sunday's punt fest against the Denver Broncos, but the visitors still left with an 11-10 loss. The teams combined for 17 punts, and it felt like the defenses had just as good of a chance to score on a given possession as the offenses did for much of the game.

Denver's defense did score in the third quarter when Garoppolo stepped out of bounds in the back of the end zone for a safety. Dan Orlovsky's infamous play from when he was on the Detroit Lions immediately came to mind, but that was far from the end of the negativity for the 49ers quarterback.

He also threw into double coverage in the final minutes as San Francisco was driving to potentially win the game, and the result was a Jonas Griffith interception. The 49ers got one more chance thanks to their strong defense, but Jeff Wilson Jr. fumbled it away.

Naturally, Garoppolo was the target of much of the online ridicule:

INT! @jonasgriffith comes up with the takeaway 👀

📺: #SFvsDEN on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/2rt05DqkHW pic.twitter.com/sA66jKWeVx

— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2022

JIMMY G STEPS OUT OF THE END ZONE

No one is happier than @danorlovsky7 right now 🤣

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/pZy0Ks5wDs

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2022

Same energy 💀 @danorlovsky7 pic.twitter.com/cjjyFDkFv0

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2022

https://twitter.com/dieter/status/1574221069707137024

the piece of the Trey Lance conversation that wasn't stressed enough is that Jimmy also makes mind numbing mistakes, without the upside

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) September 26, 2022

IVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER

FFFFREEEEEDDDOOOMMMM

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) September 26, 2022

HE DID THE ORLOVSKY!!!! YES YES EYSE YSYE RSAEYESYESY E

— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) September 26, 2022

Mike Tirico said “remember Dan Orlovsky did that” so fast, absolutely disrespectful

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) September 26, 2022

ThIs iS WhY YoU KeeP GaRoPpOlO aRoUnD

— Marcas Grant (@MarcasG) September 26, 2022

How in Da Hell did Jimmy G miss Deebo? He started on that side and Deebo came open immediately 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️

— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) September 26, 2022

Jimmy G. knew he was throwing a pick six so he first stepped out of the end zone. Smart!!

— Cousin Sal (@TheCousinSal) September 26, 2022

From now on, EVERY TIME @Chris_Broussard demands we put up his ridiculous Jimmy G winning percentage graphic on @FTFonFS1, we are playing the video of THAT play. I'll pay for the footage rights out of my own pocket if need be.

— nick wright (@getnickwright) September 26, 2022

The mistake Jimmy G made there was missing his target by 10 feet

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) September 26, 2022

More like Jimmy F

— Eric Freeman (@freemaneric) September 26, 2022

What the hell was Jimmy G looking at?

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) September 26, 2022

Get well soon Trey Lance. Your spot still safe.

— Master (@MasterTes) September 26, 2022

It wasn't all bad for the veteran quarterback in his first start of the season.

He started the scoring with a touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk in the first quarter and seemed to be well on his way to a very Garoppolo-like performance where he got the ball in his playmakers' hands, didn't force things and let his defense win the game by avoiding major mistakes.

Yet that changed drastically in the second half with a lost fumble, the safety and the brutal interception.

Another performance like that in the Week 4 NFC West showdown with the Los Angeles Rams would mean significant trouble for a 49ers team that is already struggling at 1-2.

Sunday brought freedom for Dan Orlovsky.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stepped out of the back of the end zone as he dropped back to pass during Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. The result was a stunning safety that cut San Francisco's lead to 7-5.

JIMMY G STEPS OUT OF THE END ZONE

No one is happier than @danorlovsky7 right now 🤣

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/pZy0Ks5wDs

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2022

Orlovsky infamously did the same thing during his playing days on the Detroit Lions, and he reacted to the moment:

IVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER

FFFFREEEEEDDDOOOMMMM

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) September 26, 2022

🥂 pic.twitter.com/YGDNcht0ii

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) September 26, 2022

Mike Tirico even immediately brought up Orlovsky's name on the NBC broadcast, underscoring just how associated the former quarterback is with the play.

Orlovsky is now a broadcaster for ESPN and appeared in 26 games during his career for the Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While he threw for 15 touchdowns, none of them were more famous than his mistake.

At least now he has some company.

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera doesn't want you to believe everything you read.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Sunday morning that the Commanders "had the parameters of a trade agreement in place that would" have landed them Jimmy Garoppolo at the NFL Scouting Combine.

However, "the deal fell apart" after the San Francisco 49ers quarterback elected to undergo shoulder surgery.

"Bullcrap report, just so everyone knows," Rivera told reporters after Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. "I didn't talk to anybody about Jimmy G. The timing is what really upsets me."

According to Schefter, Washington then shifted its attention elsewhere after the surgery decision was revealed and ended up trading two third-round picks and a fourth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for Carson Wentz.

Washington may have been better off with Garoppolo during Sunday's 24-8 loss, which wasn't as close as the final score indicates.

Philadelphia went up 24-0, and the Commanders didn't even get on the scoreboard until their defense notched a safety in the fourth quarter. A garbage-time touchdown from Antonio Gibson made the final deficit more respectable, but Wentz didn't account for a touchdown and fumbled twice, losing one.

As for Garoppolo, it was rather shocking when the 49ers decided to keep him after it looked like a foregone conclusion they would move him this offseason.

They already decided to transition the offense to Trey Lance, and having Garoppolo on the roster seemed to create an awkward situation where the youngster may be looking over his shoulder. After all, Garoppolo led San Francisco to the Super Bowl during the 2019 season and the NFC Championship Game last season.

Yet the decision to keep the veteran has paid off, since Lance is out for the season with a fractured ankle and torn ligaments.

And Washington will move forward with Wentz, who impressed by throwing for more than 300 yards in each of his first two games but took a step back Sunday for the 1-2 Commanders.

The Washington Commanders were close to acquiring Jimmy Garoppolo from the San Francisco 49ers before the quarterback's offseason surgery, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The two sides "had the parameters of a trade agreement in place" involving multiple draft picks, per Schefter.

Washington instead pivoted toward a trade for Carson Wentz, while Garoppolo remained with the 49ers on a restructured deal as the team's backup. He will now be San Francisco's starter going forward after Trey Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury.

The 49ers weren't shy about shopping Garoppolo this offseason with Lance—the 2021 No. 3 overall pick—expected to take over the starting job. General manager John Lynch also admitted the team nearly had a deal before the March surgery.

"I felt we were close in some discussions and then the decision was made to have surgery and it brought things to a screeching halt," Lynch told KNBR in May.

The 49ers were surprised by Garoppolo's decision to undergo surgery, with Lynch saying it "certainly caused a lot of teams to pause."

The recovery went according to schedule, although the quarterback did not start throwing again until late June, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic. This would have been a significant risk for any team looking to acquire a starting quarterback in March. At the very least, it would've put the player behind in developing chemistry with his new team before training camp.

Washington instead went with another experienced starter in Wentz, who currently has 650 passing yards and an NFL-best seven passing touchdowns through two games.

The Carolina Panthers were also often linked with Garoppolo but instead traded for Baker Mayfield.

If Garoppolo plays well in 2022 and shows he's past his shoulder issues, there could be a bigger market when he hits free agency after this season.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance could miss the rest of the 2022 season with an ankle injury, but the team is "firmly committed to him" going forward, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The second-year player has a recovery timeline of four-to-six months after breaking his fibula and tearing multiple ligaments in his ankle, per Rapoport.

Lance suffered the season-ending injury Sept. 18 during the Niners' Week 2 win over the Seattle Seahawks and underwent surgery the following day.

Truly appreciate all of the messages and prayers. Surgery was a success and I am ready to attack this rehab process. We will never understand why, but I trust that it’s all a part of His plan. I will be back better than ever. This chapter is going to make the story even greater! pic.twitter.com/l5hoBWsLDw

— Trey Lance (@treylance09) September 19, 2022

The 2021 first-round pick took over the offense from veteran Jimmy Garoppolo to open the 2022 season after spending much of his rookie campaign in a reserve role.

He's tallied six total touchdowns (five passing and one rushing) in eight career games (four starts).

Garoppolo, who spent much of the offseason involved in trade rumors before staying in San Francisco, will lead the offense for the remainder of the season. Brock Purdy will step into the backup role.

Lance, 22, still has an opportunity to establish himself as the 49ers' franchise quarterback in the years ahead, especially since his dual-threat playmaking ability is an ideal fit for the modern game. He's still very much in the development phase, though.

Garoppolo is set to become a free agent in the offseason, but the veteran can use this year as an audition for other NFL teams. It would then clear a path for a healthy Lance to take over in 2023.

The San Francisco 49ers and Pro Bowl offensive tackle Trent Williams reportedly agreed to restructure his six-year, $138.1 million contract to create $4.4 million in salary-cap space for 2022.

ESPN's Field Yates reported Saturday the Niners converted $5.5 million of Williams' base salary into a signing bonus for the added financial flexibility ahead of Sunday's Week 3 road game against the Denver Broncos.

Williams remains one of the NFL's premier left tackles in his 12th season. He's made nine Pro Bowl appearances and earned a first-team All-Pro selection for the first time last year.

In August, he was ranked No. 14 on the NFL Network's annual list of the league's top 100 players as voted by their peers.

"Offensive line, we don't score touchdowns, have passer ratings or yards to keep up with," Williams said. "Getting those accolades are important because it gives you an idea of what your peers think about you, not just in this building but outside of this building and the people you compete against."

The 34-year-old Texas native has served as the anchor of San Francisco's offensive line since 2020, when he was acquired in a trade with the Washington Commanders.

He signed the six-year contract extension with the 49ers in March 2021.

The Niners possessed just $1.6 million in cap space before the Williams restructure, per Spotrac. The reworked deal gives the front office some extra money to use in the coming weeks as injuries inevitably arise.

Williams and Co. are off to a 1-1 start. They dropped their season opener against the Chicago Bears, 19-10, before bouncing back to demolish the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, 27-7.

They'll be featured in primetime on Sunday Night Football for tomorrow's clash with the Broncos. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle will make his 2022 season debut on Sunday against the Denver Broncos, head coach Kyle Shanahan announced Friday.

Shanahan said, via ESPN's Nick Wagoner:

"He's good to go. I thought he got better each day. He means a ton in both [the run and pass game]. Kittle has been one of our better players here over the years when he's out there. We've got to get him back into football shape just because he hasn't played in a little bit but he helps us in every facet."

Kittle missed the first two weeks of the season while nursing a groin injury.

Kittle added that he's excited to get back to work:

"I'm pretty happy. Just had a breath of fresh air, honestly. It feels great to be back on the football field with the boys. I love our performance staff. They do a fantastic job of getting us back together but I'd be OK with not really seeing them for the rest of the season. So, just really happy to be back out there catching the football, actually getting to put pads on, hit people."

With Kittle set to return, Jimmy Garoppolo will have his full arsenal of receivers available for Sunday's game. Garoppolo took over as the team's starting quarterback in Week 2 following a season-ending injury to Trey Lance.

Kittle has been one of the team's top targets since the 2018 campaign. However, he has not played a full season since that year because of injuries.

He appeared in 14 games during the 2019 season, eight games in 2020 and last season he played 14 games. During the 2021 campaign, he caught 71 passes for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.

Kittle figures to see a large amount of the workload against Denver on Sunday. However, Garoppolo can also turn to Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings out wide.

The 49ers are 1-1 this season.