Getty Offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey #69 of the San Francisco 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers lost a crucial game to the Arizona Cardinals over the weekend, despite the division rival missing both quarterback Kyler Murray and wideout DeAndre Hopkins. But the catastrophic losses did not end there.
The Niners suffered a further indignity in the form of an injury to right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who tore his quadricep during the 31-17 defeat on Sunday, November 8. It has since been reported that San Francisco will lose the offensive lineman for the remainder of the season.
Adam Schefter, NFL insider at ESPN, first broke the news via Twitter Monday morning.
49ers’ RT Mike McGlinchey tore his quad and is out for the season, per source, the latest injury blow for San Francisco.
“49ers’ RT Mike McGlinchey tore his quad and is out for the season, per source,” Schefter wrote online. “The latest blow for San Francisco.”
McGlinchey Second Niners Offensive Tackle Destined For IR
GettyOffensive tackle Justin Skule #67, of the San Francisco 49ers, in action.
McGlinchey will join fellow offensive tackle Justin Skule on the injured reserve list (IR), per Football Database.
McGlinchey was a first-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2018, selected ninth overall by San Francisco. The 2021 season has been McGlinchey’s fourth with the team, after signing a 4-year, $18 million-plus deal with the Niners, per Spotrac. Back in May, the team announced it would exercise the tackle’s nearly $10.9 million fifth-year team option.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan called on offensive lineman Tom Compton to step in for McGlinchey Sunday against the Cardinals. Shanahan told reporters during a postgame press conference that rookie Jaylon Moore, a fifth-round selection out of Western Michigan, will also be considered as McGlinchey’s long-term replacement.
However, the team opted not to use Moore in that capacity against Arizona, as the young lineman has played exclusively on the left side of San Francisco’s line this season.
Loss of McGlinchey Compounds Disappointing Performance Vs. Cardinals
GettyHead coach Kyle Shanahan, of the San Francisco 49ers, looks up at the scoreboard during his team’s Week 1 victory in Detroit.
The 49ers entered Sunday’s matchup against Arizona with high hopes and perhaps the best chance they could have possibly had at victory.
Veteran starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo returned from a calf injury the week before, playing arguably his best game of the season against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, October 31. The QB threw for 322 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground en route to a 33-22 road victory over the Bears. The win broke a four-game losing skid and brought the Niners to within a game of a .500 record.
The news got better as the past week wore on, as the Niners welcomed back former All-Pro tight end George Kittle, last year’s leading rusher in Jeff Wilson Jr. and starting kicker Robbie Gould, who had been hurt in pregame warmups against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4.
Then word came down that the banged up Cardinals would be without quarterback and MVP candidate Kyler Murray, as well as one of the NFL’s top wide receivers in DeAndre Hopkins. Yet still, Arizona dominated the Niners on their home field from the jump, as career backup Colt McCoy carved up a defense disadvantaged by early San Francisco turnovers.
Both Niners Twitter and NFL Twitter were relentless in their criticisms of Shanahan and company, who are now 3-5 on the year and sitting in dead last among NFC West Division teams. The Cardinals lead the division at 8-1, with the Los Angeles Rams in second at 7-2.
The Seahawks are ahead of the Niners despite sharing a 3-5 record due to a head-to-head victory already this year. Quarterback Russell Wilson missed three games with an injury to a finger on his throwing hand, but has been cleared to play this coming week against the Green Bay Packers.
Next up for San Francisco is a home contest against the Rams November 15 on Monday Night Football, with Shanahan firmly in the hot seat and the Niners’ entire season on the brink.