Mike Evans Injury Shows Cracks In Undefeated 49ers Offense

The San Francisco 49ers are left with questions after wide receiver Mike Evans left their Week 6 game against the Washington Commanders at halftime with an Achilles tendon injury.

Evans has become the top receiver in the 49ers’ offense this season, and with his absence in the second half, it was noticeable as they scored three points in the second half.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said after the game that Evans had a flare-up of Achilles tendinitis that bothered him throughout the week, and he will not undergo further testing.

“It’s something that he’s had before, something that bothered him throughout the week,” Shanahan said. “When you have Achilles tendinitis like he does, it kind of is what it is. It flared up tonight, and I hope he recovers throughout the week. You don’t think it’s a long-term thing, but right now it almost cost him this game and ended up costing him two quarters. 

“Hopefully he’ll be able to play next week, but if not, we’ll have to have the rest of the group step up, and hopefully we can get him healed up by after the bye week.”

Evans has left his mark on the 49ers’ pass game as he caught 3 passes for a game-high of 94 yards in the first half as they led 20-3. In the second half, they nearly blew the lead and won 23-17. Evans leads the team in targets and receiving yards and ranks 13th in the league in yards and sixth in touchdowns. 

Shanahan believes that the struggles in the second half are down to sacks and a lack of execution on offense. 

“It’s definitely a big deal when you lose a player like Mike,” Shanahan said. “Just the way it ended up being, Mike wouldn’t have had a chance to have much of an effect there in the second half. Now, if we would’ve gotten some first downs and stuff and got driving, we would’ve felt the lack of presence of him, but we didn’t get enough first downs to show where we would miss him.”