SANTA CLARA — Mike Evans left the field during the San Francisco 49ers' game against the Arizona Cardinals due to a rib injury. The injury occurred on a third-down route, where Evans took a knee after the play and struggled to return to the sidelines. He was carted to the locker room after the 49ers' final drive before halftime and has been ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Evans, 33, had missed practice earlier in the week and was listed as questionable with a hip pointer that had previously forced him out of a game against the Miami Dolphins. However, the injury sustained during the game against Arizona appeared to be unrelated to the hip issue.
As he returned to the sidelines, Evans was seen grabbing at the right side of his midsection and was under the care of three trainers. He showed visible discomfort, going to a knee and putting his head in his hands after leaving the field.
Before his exit, Evans recorded three catches on six targets for 34 yards, including one of quarterback Brock Purdy's two first-half touchdown passes. Purdy completed 8 of 17 passes for 204 yards in the first half, leading the 49ers to a 17-6 halftime lead.
The 49ers also experienced another injury when cornerback Deommodore Lenoir was carted off in the second quarter and was being evaluated for a concussion. Evans' injury marks the fourth top receiver the 49ers have lost this season. Ricky Pearsall is out for the season due to PCL surgery, De’Zhaun Stribling is expected to be sidelined until around Week 10 with an ankle injury, and Demarcus Robinson was placed on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain sustained against Miami. The team recently signed veteran receiver Brandin Cooks, who is currently on their practice squad.