Achilles injury ends season for 49ers star NaVorro Bowman.
Linebacker sustained ruptured left Achilles in Sunday’s loss to Dallas
SANTA CLARA — NaVorro Bowman’s season is done. Aaron Lynch’s is just beginning. Welcome to the twisted dichotomy inside the 49ers exasperated defense.
On Monday, Bowman officially got ruled out from returning, after tests revealed a ruptured left Achilles, sustained during Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
As devastating an injury as it is, his closest teammates do not expect it to end the All-Pro linebacker’s career, which only two seasons ago was put on hold because of left-knee recon-
struction.
“It’s tough, but Bo is very resilient, and he’s been there before,” wide receiver Torrey Smith said. “I’m sure he’ll bounce back. We all know how hard he worked to bounce back from his last injury, and it’s a minor setback to come back and prove folks wrong again.”
Among those expecting Bowman, 28, to rebound next season is Lynch, the 49ers’ top pass rusher who’s completed a fourgame suspension and expects to make his season debut Thursday night when the 49ers (1-3) host the Arizona Cardinals (1-3).
“That’s a horrible loss. He was the leader, one of the leaders, of our defense,” Lynch said. “Everybody knows who NaVorro Bowman is, so he’s always one of the guys they game-plan to. ... We’re going to miss him, but now we’re going to have to play for him.”
Nick Bellore, known mostly as a special-teams ace in his six-year career, replaced Bowman for Sunday’s final 29 defensive snaps. Michael Wilhoite, Gerald Hodges and Shayne Skov are the remaining options at inside linebacker now that Bowman is joining Ray-Ray Armstrong (pectoral) on injured reserve.
“Obviously, we’ll have to rally together,” Bellore said. “Things may be different defensively. We have to overcome him not being in there. It’s time for guys like myself and the linebacker room as a whole to step up.”
When Bowman missed the 2014 season recovering from knee reconstruction, Wilhoite started all 16 games as his replacement next to Patrick Willis, who eventually succumbed to a career-ending toe injury after six games and was replaced by Chris Borland.
Bellore has aspired for a greater opportunity on defense, and this may be it.
“Obviously, I know special teams has been my meal ticket in the NFL, but it’s never been out of my mind to be ready for any game,” Bellore said. “I’ve been the ‘next guy up’ for a long time, and now my time has come.”
Bowman was the 49ers’ leading tackler this season (38) before he crumpled to the grass in noncontact fashion with 5:52 left in Sunday’s third quarter.
In each of his two previous seasons, Lynch tied with Ahmad Brooks for the team lead in sacks (6 in 2014, 61⁄2 in 2015). Lynch’s 21 quarterback hits last season were tied for 13th-most in the league last season, when he also produced 131⁄2 tackles for a loss.
The 49ers’ passing n offense ranks last at 178.8 yards per game, but coach Chip Kelly defended quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s passing motives a day after San Francisco’s losing streak reached three games. “He did a nice job in his decisions,” said Kelly, noting he and most of his assistants spent Sunday night at the team facility to expedite preparations for Thursday’s game.
Gabbert has completed 58 percent of his passes (69 of 119) for 728 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions.
“You look at that ball he threw to Garrett Celek, that’s as good of a throw as you’ll see in this league,” Kelly said of a 29-yard, third-quarter completion.
Kelly had more examples to share in Gabbert’s defense — finding “hot” receivers to beat the blitz — while dropping no hints that a quarterback switch could be afoot with Colin Kaepernick in reserve.
Defensive tackle DeForest n Buckner’s left foot remained in an orthopedic boot, and Kelly had no medical update on it.
Limited in practice n were left guard Zane Beadles (left ankle), cornerback Chris Davis (quadricep) and tight end Vance McDonald (hip).
Running back DuJuan n Harris was signed to the practice squad, after being released Saturday from the 53-man roster for the third time in a month.
Running back Mike n Davis had a simple reason for not raising his fist during Sunday’s national anthem: “I was so focused on the game, I honestly forgot,” he said Monday
Davis had joined Antoine Bethea, Keith Reaser, Rashard Robinson and Jaquiski Tartt in raising his right fist a week ago in Seattle. The five players took the action to support quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s protest of police violence against unarmed African-Americans. Davis plans to continue the raised-fist action Thursday night.