The San Francisco 49ers have been riddled by injuries this season, and even their second-stringers have been afflicted.
Star running back Christian McCaffrey, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, hasn’t played yet this season because of a leg injury, but backup Jordan Mason has filled in admirably.
Mason injured his shoulder in a Week 6 win against the Seattle Seahawks, forcing him to leave the “Thursday Night Football” game.
However, according to a doctor from UCSF Health, due to the nature of Mason’s injury, there isn’t a risk of aggravating the injury and that his return to action will be a matter of pain management and range of motion.
“It’s not really a question of increased injury risk. It’s more a question of how much pain he can deal with. Not in a toughness way. If you just can’t bring your arm across your chest to protect the ball, they’re not gonna put him back in there,” Dr. Brian Feeley said, via 95.7 The Game.
?Jordan Mason
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Through six games, Mason has 609 rushing yards, which is second in the NFL, and he has scored three touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per rushing attempt.
The Niners still run the football more than most teams, as they rank fourth in total rushing attempts, but they are throwing the ball more than they have in the past.
They’re 16th in total passing attempts after ranking last in that category in 2023 and tied for 26th in 2022, which is a function of quarterback Brock Purdy’s development as an elite quarterback.
San Francisco will host the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that broke their hearts in last season’s Super Bowl, in Week 7, and if Mason isn’t able to play, the 49ers could be in a world of trouble.
The Niners don’t have any experienced rushing threats behind Mason, so they will have to hope he can deal with his pain in order to gain a measure of revenge against Patrick Mahomes and company.
NEXT: Andy Reid Provides Honest Thoughts On Brock Purdy
