Ford’s injury begets questions
S.F. pass rusher has back issue; return date unknown
The 49ers initially said Dee Ford had “neck stiffness” and “neck spasms” before amending that diagnosis and saying their Pro Bowl pass rusher had a back injury.
Ford, 29, already has missed one game, he won’t play Sunday against the Giants, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday he would be “surprised” if Ford can return by Oct. 4 when the 49ers host the Eagles. What’s happening here? Ford’s availability was a huge preseason story line based on how he elevated the NFL’s secondranked defense when he was able to play in his injurymarred 2019 season. And it has become an even bigger issue since the 49ers lost their other Pro Bowl pass rusher, Nick Bosa, to a seasonending torn ACL on Sunday.
Without Ford and Bosa this Sunday, the 49ers’ top three available edge rushers in their nickel defense could be Kerry Hyder, justsigned Ziggy Ansah and Dion Jordan, who was just promoted from the practice squad. The three have combined for 13 sacks since 2018. Ford has 19.5 sacks over the past twoplus seasons.
So, again, the big question: What’s up with Ford’s back injury?
The question was posed to Dr. Neel Anand, a surgeon who is the director of spine trauma and professor of orthopedic surgery at CedarSinai Spine
Center in Los Angeles.
Anand was told Ford had an MRI exam last week and the 49ers have not placed him on shortterm injured reserve, which would sideline him for at least three games. In addition, Shanahan said Wednesday that Ford was taking “medicine” and the 49ers were hopeful that would eliminate his discomfort as they take a waitandsee approach with his injury.
Based on that information, Anand thinks there is reason to believe Ford might not have a longterm issue: He likely has been given a treatment plan that includes antiinflammatories, rest and ice, which could resolve spasms and stiffness in a relatively short period of time.
Anand said the 49ers might not have been incorrect in initially stating Ford had a neck injury. Ford could be having nerve irritation in his neck that’s causing “referred pain” that’s being sensed in his upper back.
“I’m assuming they found nothing big” on the MRI exam, Anand said. “Depending on what they found, maybe they determined nothing much needs to be done. And just give him antiinflammatories and let the inflammation and spasms settle down.” If that doesn’t work? “It all depends on what the MRI showed and clinically how he’s presenting,” Anand said. “Where’s the pain? Is there radiation? Any neurological issues? All that comes into play. But always the first steps in treatment most of the time would be antiinflammatories, rest and ice. Let time allow things to settle down and see where that goes. It’s reasonable to have guarded optimism that’s the right path to follow.”
Anand said it’s unlikely Ford’s injury is connected to his previous lowerback problems. Ford had surgery to repair a herniated disk in 2011 when he was at Auburn before he had a lumbar discectomy in 2017.
Shanahan was asked Friday if the 49ers think Ford could return soon. He echoed Anand: There is reason to be hopeful, but no guarantees.
That means the 49ers, whose ability to pressure quarterbacks last season was central to their success, will keep waiting for their optimism to be rewarded.
“When you have back issues, sometimes it takes some time, but that stuff will calm down and you’ll feel really good,” Shanahan said. “If it never does, then you have to do bigger things and you always want to wait for those bigger things. So you don’t know whether it’s a day, a week or a month. I’ve been around a lot of guys who they barely can walk and all of a sudden, their back spasms go away and they’re good in a few days.
“I’ve also been around guys that it takes a couple of weeks, and some guys they have to fix it before it changes. We’re doing all of that with Dee Ford. I’d be surprised if he’s there next week (against the Eagles), but I wouldn’t rule him out.”
“I’d be surprised if he’s there next week (against the Eagles), but I wouldn’t rule him out.”
Kyle Shanahan, on Dee Ford