Sam Okuayinonu of the San Francisco 49ers. Getty
The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their season-opening clash against the Los Angeles Rams, which will see them travel across the world to Australia to play in this game. The Niners departed for Australia on Wednesday to give themselves time to acclimate to their new temporary home, and ahead of this game, the team has generally received positive injury updates.
George Kittle, Nick Bosa, and Mike Evans all traveled with the team, seemingly giving them a shot to suit up for this game. Not everyone made the trip, though, as veteran defensive end Sam Okuayinonu stayed back for the time being as he battles a foot injury, which has seemingly dealt his quest to take the field for this game a big blow.
Any time a team deals with the number of injuries the Niners have dealt with over the past two seasons, it opens the door for players to step up and carve out roles for themselves. That is precisely what Okuayinonu did for himself last season, as he ended up starting 12 games for San Fran along its defensive line in 2025.
Okuayinonu doesn't exactly put up flashy numbers, as he racked up 39 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble during his 15 games on the field, but he can be a three-down defensive lineman, as he holds up well against both the run and the pass. With Bosa returning to action this year, Okuayinonu won't get as many snaps as he did last year, but he's still an important rotational lineman for his team.
Throughout training camp, Okuayinonu has been battling a foot injury that has thrown his status for San Francisco's Week 1 action up in the air. While guys like Kittle, Bosa, and Evans did travel to Australia, Okuayinonu did not , which seems to indicate that, unless he finds his way to Australia on his own, he will not play against the Rams.
"DE Sam Okuayinonu will not fly on the 49ers' team plane to Melbourne. He has a foot injury and is questionable for the game," David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard reported in a post on X.
GettySam Okuayinonu of the San Francisco 49ers.
It's still very early in the season, so the Niners don't want to rush any of their injured players into action if they aren't ready to go. Okuayinonu could still technically play in this game (he's only listed as questionable for the time being), but the fact that he did not make the trip with the rest of his team indicates he likely won't play in this one.
Bosa's status will obviously be worth watching at this spot, because if he can't play, San Fran would be pretty thin at the edge rusher spot. Both Keion White and Romello Height are listed as questionable for this game, too, so it's clear the 49ers have some things to figure out before they take the field next week. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 8:35 p.m. ET on Sep. 10.
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