Already missing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (ankle), tight end George Kittle (foot) and running backs Tevin Coleman (knee), Raheem Mostert (ankle) and Jeff Wilson Jr. (ankle), the San Francisco 49ers will be without four more players when they take on the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night Football due to the coronavirus.
Ahead of Thursday’s game, the Niners placed wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and left tackle Trent Williams on the reserve/COVID-19 list and ruled them out to play against the Packers.
Bourne tested positive for COVID-19, and after the 49ers conducted contact tracing, they also placed Samuel, Aiyuk and Williams on the reserve/COVID-19 list and ruled them out.
“The health and safety of our players, staff and community are the organization’s highest priority,” the 49ers said in a statement. “We will continue to work closely with the NFL and medical professionals and will follow their direction.”
With Samuel and Aiyuk out, Trent Taylor is the only wide receiver on San Francisco’s active roster with a catch this season.
Despite all the positive tests and the 49ers essentially playing with a skeleton crew in a primetime matchup on national television, the NFL will press on with a rematch of last year’s NFC Conference Championship.
Elsewhere in the league, the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts are also dealing with COVID-19 issues ahead of Week 9.
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