Talanoa Hufanga, a San Francisco 49ers safety, practiced completely for the first time since tearing a ligament in his knee last November, and he could return to the game this week.
Hufanga hurt his ACL in a November 19 win over Tampa Bay last season and missed the remainder of the season. He was on the physically unable to perform list during training camp but was activated when the Niners reduced their roster to 53 players on August 27.
He got limited practice time during the last two weeks and missed the first two games of the season. He is now scheduled to make his season debut on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, assuming there are no setbacks this week, providing the Niners some much-needed momentum.
“You always miss Huf out there,” Coach Kyle Shanahan remarked on Wednesday. “His ability to make big plays, communicate well, and jet from one sideline to another. We’re going to be excited. He should return this week if all goes well. “We have missed him.”
Hufanga was picked in the fifth round by San Francisco in 2021 and initially played on special teams before joining the defense late in his rookie season.
He went on to become an All-Pro in his second year and was doing well last year before his injury, with three interceptions and 52 tackles.
Following Hufanga’s injury, the defense suffered slightly, allowing 4.4 more points per game and 0.24 more yards per play.
“We missed him a lot,” All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner admitted. “Even though he is a young player, his leadership abilities in that room is exceptional. The voice he has in the backend screaming out the checks and notifying guys, even alerting myself.It alleviates a significant amount of my workload. So glad to have him back out there.”
