The San Francisco 49ers had a big win on Thursday Night Football to improve to 8-0, but with that win, came a very big loss.
Linebacker Kwon Alexander suffered a torn pectoral in the 28-25 victory over the Arizona Cardinals and will likely undergo season-ending surgery next week, per the 49ers.
Alexander, who the 49ers signed to a four-year, $54 million contract this past offseason, has registered 34 tackles, 0.5 a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble this season.
Not only are the Niners losing a productive and talented player, but they are also losing a key defensive leader on the field and in the locker room.
“…Greenlaw would step in that spot,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan on a conference call with the media. “That would up [LB] Azeez [Al-Shaair] who’s been the fourth guy there on game day, and then we’ve got [LB] Elijah [Lee] on the practice squad who played a lot for us here over the last couple of years, so he’d be the next man up also with that group. Kwon has been great for us this year on the field and as a leader.”