A rocky 49ers season took a turn for the worse on Sunday when WR Brandon Aiyuk went down with a torn ACL on Sunday, putting pressure on Deebo Samuel to step up the rest of the way. Samuel's status, however, is up in the air, as well.
The 49ers star missed most of Sunday's loss to the Chiefs due to an illness, and he was seen on the sideline with an oxygen mask before being formally ruled out for the rest of the game.
As it turns out, Samuel was hospitalized after the game and is going to need time to recuperate.
Here's the latest update on Samuel's condition after he was taken to a local hospital.
NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule
Deebo Samuel hospitalization update
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday that Samuel was hospitalized with pneumonia after Sunday's game and has fluid in his lungs.
Kyle Shanahan shared that Deebo Samuel Sr. is currently in the hospital dealing with fluid in his lungs and pneumonia.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 21, 2024
Wishing Deebo a speedy recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/AORkgBmHs4
Shanahan didn't have any more information regarding how long Samuel would be hospitalized or when he might be back on the field, but he said rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing would likely have significant roles in the 49ers' Week 8 game against the Cowboys.
Recovery from pneumonia might not be the only prerequisite for Samuel to get back on the field. Once he's past the illness, he will likely need some time for conditioning after taking it easy in the hospital and at home. How long that might take will depend on how quickly he recovers.
Samuel was added to the injury report shortly before Sunday's matchup with the Chiefs, and he simply didn't look right in rare moments he was on the field against Kansas City. He played only four offensive snaps in the loss.
MORE: Updated NFL power rankings after Week 7
What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is defined as an infection that results in inflammation and fluid in the lungs. Difficulty breathing is one symptom of pneumonia, and Samuel appeared to be experiencing it on Sunday.
It isn't clear when Samuel started experiencing symptoms or how serious they were, but he wasn't added to the injury report until shortly before Sunday's game.
Pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics and could be resolved quickly, but there are no details about Samuel's recovery available at this time.
