San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan's concerns following the post-game evaluations have been validated. Reserve safety George Odum will undergo surgery after an MRI confirmed he sustained a torn biceps injury. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports that two to four months of recovery will be required, leaving a slight chance for a playoff return.
Odum, a pivotal special teams contributor, sustained the injury during the second quarter of the Thanksgiving victory over the Seattle Seahawks. The unfortunate incident unfolded during a kickoff, when Odum found himself in the scramble for possession of the loose football after Seahawks running back DeeJay Dallas mishandled the catch.
Odum's loss is another blow to the 49ers' safety depth chart. This past Sunday, the team lost starter Talanoa Hufanga for the season to a torn ACL in his right knee. The responsibility of filling Hufanga's shoes has fallen to rookie Ji'Ayir Brown, who lined up alongside Tashaun Gipson against the Seahawks.
San Francisco has safety Tayler Hawkins on the practice squad but could look elsewhere to add to the position. The loss of Odum on special teams is significant.
"To lose George, he's been unbelievable," Shanahan said during his post-game press conference. "He's been one of the best special teams players in the league here, and he's a very good safety for us, too. So we've been thin there with the depth, and losing him is a big deal. We'll have to see what our options are here, though, when we get in."
The 49ers have some time off before resuming their activities on Monday and turning their attention to their next opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles.
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