T
he San Francisco 49ers are 3-0 to begin the 2026 NFL season after beating the Arizona Cardinals. But in spite of the strong start to the campaign, the team is already dealing with major injury issues once again. The 49ers lost star pass rusher Nick Bosa for multiple weeks because of a calf injury, Alfred Collins for the season because of a torn pectoral and are still missing Mykel Williams as he recovers from a torn ACL. Decimated, the 49ers need to figure out a way to get by if they want to see their goal of winning a Super Bowl title come true.
The 49ers wasted no time in bringing in help though, agreeing to a deal with multi-time Pro Bowl selection Matthew Judon. Judon, a 10-year NFL veteran with 72 career sacks, is the type of player who can wreak havoc for the team when given the opportunity. Head coach Kyle Shanahan does not want to rush in having his shiny, new pass rusher make his debut, revealing the teams plans for Judon.
Shanahan speaks on the 49ers plans for Judon
Shanahan spoke to reporters after the signing became official on Monday and revealed the approach the team is taking with Judon.
“I know we had a workout with him over the weekend, so we’ll see where he’s at Wednesday [at practice],” Shanahan said via David Lombardi of the San Francisco Standard. “Start him out in individual drills, just seeing the type of shape he’s in, what he can learn in the scheme. Obviously, with our situation, hopefully we’ll get him caught up here real fast, and hopefully he’ll be an option to help us.”
The 49ers next game is at home against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Oct. 4. Judon isn’t guaranteed to play, but if he shows enough in practice during the week, he could carve out a role. Judon reunites with his former Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris and if he does look like he can still dominate, he will add another layer to Morris’ already stout defense.
A look at Judon’s Career
Judon, a fifth round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Ravens. He started as a rotational player and combined for 19 sacks his first three seasons before becoming a full-time starter in 2019. Judon earned his first career Pro Bowl selection that season, starting in all 16 games and registering 9.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and forcing four fumbles. His final season in Baltimore was the 2020 campaign, where he earned his second straight Pro Bowl selection after registering 6.0 sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Judon became a free agent after the season and signed a four-year contract with the New England Patriots ahead of the 2o21 season and earned a pair of Pro Bowl selections in his first two seasons in New England. In 2021, his first season with the Patriots, he registered 12.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. In his second season in 2022, he registered a career high of 15.5 sacks. Judon’s final season with the Patriots was in 2022, where he played in only four games because of an injury and registered four sacks.
Judon played for Morris on the Falcons the following season in 2024, registering 5.5 sacks in 17 games. Last season, he split time with the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills but was not productive, ending the year with no sacks.
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