Reuben Foster’s NFL debut was cut short in scary fashion on Sunday, when he was carted off the field with a right ankle injury sustained while tackling fellow rookie Christian McCaffrey in the first quarter. Though it initially seemed that the injury might be catastrophic, Foster returned to the sidelines walking under his own power, and seemed optimistic after the game, telling reporters he’d be back “Very, very, very soon.”
Foster after the game, “I knew nothing was seriously damaged” pic.twitter.com/EK4hFILjUd
— KNBR (@KNBR) September 11, 2017
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On Monday morning we still don’t know how soon exactly, but we do have a better idea of what happened, with Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reporting that the preliminary diagnosis for Foster is a high ankle sprain that will cause him to miss at least some time.
#49ers rookie LB Reuben Foster had a high-ankle sprain, based on the preliminary diagnosis, per sources. More tests coming. Will miss time
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 11, 2017
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will speak with reporters at 4 p.m. on Monday, so expect a more concrete update with regards to Foster’s timetable around then. Depending on the severity, a high ankle sprain can have a recovery time of up to 4-6 weeks.