SANTA CLARA — Deebo Samuel, confined to a hospital for pneumonia-like symptoms earlier this week, is questionable but trending on playing in the 49ers’ home game Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
“I have hospital anxiety. I don’t like being in the hospital, but whatever it took for me to get better, I’m all for it,” Samuel said Friday, after being limited in practice a second straight day.
“It’s gotten better each day,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “We’ve gone slow with him. We didn’t push him that hard knowing what the issue is.”
Last Sunday, Samuel reported feeling ill in the morning, had “no energy to run” in warmups, played just four snaps in the 49ers’ 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, then was sent to a local hospital for a two-night stay.
“It was scary because it was hard to breathe. You can’t take deep breaths,” Samuel recalled. “In the midst of that, I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ Then we found out after the game.”
That Samuel now feels “pretty good, pretty solid” is welcome news for a receiving corps that lost Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending knee injury last Sunday for the 49ers (3-4).
That unit, however, will miss Jauan Jennings (hip) for a second straight game, before his expected return after next week’s bye. Also ruled out were defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and kicker Jake Moody (ankle). “It really broke my heart to see Aiyuk go down,” Samuel said. “But we know we’re getting Jauan back soon.”
In the 49ers’ wins over the Cowboys each of the last three seasons – including the 2021 and ’22 playoffs – Samuel has scored one touchdown combined, though he’s produced 113 rushing yards (19 carries) and 138 receiving yards (13 catches).
Had Samuel’s condition not improved so rapidly, the 49ers likely would be in hot pursuit of a wide receiver before the Nov. 5 trade deadline, though they still could be.
“For this week, it’s not going to be ideal, but we think with Jauan, Deebo, Ricky (Pearsall), Jake (Cowing), Chris (Conley), Ronnie Bell, we’ve got enough there,” general manager John Lynch said on KNBR 680-AM. “Our track record has shown were always going to field calls, we’re always going to make calls to see what’s out there and if we can improve our team we will, but I do like this group.”
OTHERS 49ERS INJURIES
Tight end George Kittle (foot), cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (illness) and safety George Odum (knee) are questionable; all were limited in Friday’s hour-long walk-through.
Defensive end Nick Bosa (elbow), wide receiver Chris Conley (ankle) and running back Jordan Mason (shoulder) are off the injury report and fully expected to play.
COWBOYS NIX STARS
The Cowboys (3-3) will remain without edge rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) and cornerback Daron Bland (foot). Shanahan said he did a “small celebration” upon hearing Parsons’ status, then added: “It makes things better, but still a lot of issues to deal with.”
Related Articles
On the air: Former 49ers have their say on the slide to 3-4
49ers’ Trent Williams still seeks to improve after big contract at age 36
49ers’ Brock Purdy focuses on Cowboys, not Dak Prescott’s paycheck
49ers’ struggling special teams could be prey for Cowboys’ big return game
49ers rookie Pearsall could have big role against Cowboys
Also out are defensive tackle Jordan Phllips (wrist) and tight end John Stephens, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament during practice this week.
Linebacker Eric Kendrick, Dallas’ leading tackler, is questionable to return from a one-game absence (shoulder) and play against the 49ers, whom he agreed to join in free agency before defecting four days later and signing with the Cowboys. Cornerback Caelen Carson (shoulder) and linebacker Nick Vigil (foot) are questionable.
Kicker Brandon Aubry did not practice this week while away on jury duty but is expected to play Sunday.
INJURED RESERVE OUTLOOK
Neither Givens nor Jennings are expected to join the 49ers’ crowded list of injured reserve players.
Lynch likes the prospects of running back Christian McCaffrey, linebacker Dre Greenlay, defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos, safety Talanoa Hufanga and offensive lineman Jon Feliciano being activated off IR after the bye.
“If we can get those guys back, that’s the boost we need as much as anybody we’re going to bring in from the outside,” Lynch said.
Shanahan said of Hufanga: “I know he’s trying to come back this season. That’s his plan and hope. He has at least a few weeks on IR and we’ll see how he feels after that and whether he can pull it off or not. It’s not a sure thing but it something we’re hoping happens and kind of expecting.”
GAME-DAY NOTES
Parking lots open at 1:50 p.m. on Sunday, with stadium gates opening 30 minutes later for club and suite ticket holders, followed by all ticket holders at 3:20 p.m. Country music singer Nate Smith will perform at halftime, and John Glosson will perform the national anthem. Navy veteran Monica Calderon is this week’s Frontline Hero the Game.