‘Concern For an Achilles Rupture,’ ‘Don’t Like How He Can’t Bear Weight’ — Doctors React as 49ers’ De’Zhaun Stribling Gets Carted Off With Injury
· Yahoo Sports
De’Zhaun Stribling’s first NFL regular-season game took a turn for the worse in a matter of seconds, and the way he left the field immediately caught the attention of sports medicine professionals.
The San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver went down without contact in the first half against the Los Angeles Rams and appeared unable to put weight on his left leg. San Francisco later ruled him out with an ankle injury.
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Medical Professionals Flag Achilles as One Possibility After De’Zhaun Stribling’s Injury
Stribling had already left earlier in the game with an ankle issue, returned briefly, and then went down again on a non-contact plant. The injury sequence ended when trainers carted Stribling off the field.
Jesse Morse, M.D., called the mechanism concerning while stopping short of diagnosing Stribling.
“De’Zhaun Stribling. Left lower leg injury. Non-contact – concerning. Most likely = calf strain. Unable to rule out an Achilles tear. Don’t like how he can’t bear weight,” Morsewrote.
He also said it was unclear whether the play was connected to the earlier ankle issue. His “Don’t like how he can’t bear weight” distinction highlighted why the scene looked more serious than an ordinary exit.
Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT, raised multiple possibilities. “Left lower leg for De’Zhaun Stribling. Non-contact but not a good angle to see if the Achilles went,” Muellerwrote. He listed the Achilles, a calf strain, and a fibular or ankle injury as concerns, “probably in that order.”
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The reaction led to a clear concern for an Achilles rupture, but none of the clinicians had examined Stribling, and none of those possibilities should be treated as a confirmed diagnosis.
Why the Non-Contact Mechanism Raised Alarm
Ribu Thomas, PT, DPT, emphasized that the video alone was not enough to assign a grade. “Early look as a PT. Too early for a grade,” Thomaswrote.
He noted that Stribling first limped off with an ankle issue on his own, returned, then later went down on a non-contact left lower-leg plant, put no weight through it, and was carted to the locker room.
Maddox McCloud, PT, DPT, focused specifically on possible Achilles involvement. “Biggest concern for Dezhaun Stribling would be Achilles involvement,” McCloudwrote.
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McCloud explained that trainers may use the Thompson test, which involves squeezing the calf and looking for plantarflexion of the foot. “Absent/reduced plantarflexion can raise concern for an Achilles rupture, though the full exam is needed to confirm,” he wrote.
San Francisco ruled Stribling out with an ankle injury, not a confirmed Achilles tear, and the outside clinicians based their assessments only on video.
After the game, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Stribling’s Achilles was intact, but they’ll need further testing to determine the magnitude of the ankle injury.
Stribling was the No. 33 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after catching 55 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns at Ole Miss in 2025. He entered Week 1 after an impressive preseason in which he caught 11 of 13 targets for 109 yards.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.