San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Alfred Collins suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon during a Tuesday practice session in Australia, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed, dealing another blow to a defensive line already thinned by injuries heading into the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
“Alfred tore his patellar tendon yesterday,” Shanahan said. “That was a big loss. We’ve lost two D-linemen pretty much for the year after (final roster) cuts and before the first game which has been a huge challenge. I’m hurting for Alfred. It was real unfortunate for him.”
Collins, selected by San Francisco in the second round of the 2025 draft out of Texas, was expected to take on a larger role in the defense this season after appearing in all 16 games as a rookie. He recorded 17 tackles, a sack, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups last year.
His absence leaves a gap on the right side of the 49ers’ defensive front. Gracen Halton and James Thompson Jr. are expected to fill in.
Veteran pass rusher Nick Bosa, who is himself working back from a torn ACL, offered support for his younger teammate.
“He just has to know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” Bosa said of Collins. “I told him I’ve been through it a few times, so he just needs to take it one day at a time.”
Collins’ injury adds to a lengthy list of concerns for San Francisco entering the season. Bosa, who is expected to play Thursday, appeared on the injury report alongside Halton, Thompson and Romello Height. The team also already has defensive linemen Andrew Farmer II, Mikail Kamara and Sam Okuayinonu on injured reserve.
The 49ers’ injury report extends well beyond the defensive line. Linebackers Luke Gifford and Dre Greenlaw and cornerbacks Renardo Green and Upton Stout were also listed, along with tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was already ruled out for the season earlier this summer.
Despite the growing injury list, Shanahan expressed optimism that both Kittle and Bosa would be available to play against the Rams, though he indicated the team would need to manage their workloads carefully.
The 49ers and Rams are scheduled to kick off Thursday night at 8:35 p.m. ET, streaming on Netflix from the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia.
