SANTA CLARA – Right tackle Eric Magnuson heard the pop in his right ankle, but he wasn’t going to let that ruin his chance to play in an NFL game against legendary Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett.
“I actually thought it was broken,” said Magnuson, a rookie free agent from Michigan, who signed with the team as a guard and center. So here’s Magnuson, a rookie, playing out of position against one of the best defensive ends in the NFL with torn ligaments in his foot.
Yet, Magnuson didn’t tell anyone about it until after the game.
“I just had someone tape it tighter so I couldn’t feel it,” Magnuson said. “I knew we were short handed on the offensive line and I got the opportunity to play, so I wasn’t going take myself out.”
Magnuson said he’s never injured his foot other than spraining his ankle.
“I wanted to play, so if I told them, that was only going to help myself get out of the game,” Magnuson said. “I wanted to play.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan was appreciative and said he admired Magnuson for sticking it out despite an injury that immediately knocked him out for the rest of the season. Magnuson was placed on injured reserve after X-rays revealed he had torn ligaments.
Magnuson also said he didn’t think about further damage by playing on his injured foot.
“You’re not really thinking of that during a game,” he said. “All you’re really thinking about is the next play.”