The 49ers have to be cursed.
San Francisco’s starting defensive tackle Alfred Collins suffered a torn patellar tendon in the team’s Tuesday practice in Australia and will miss the entire 2026 season.
Coach Kyle Shanahan announced the injury Wednesday and confirmed that Collins will not return this year. That injury comes on the heels of defensive end Sam Okuayinonu landing on injured reserve with a broken foot that will require surgery over the weekend.
“Alfred tore his patellar tendon yesterday,” Shanahan said. “That was a big loss. We’ve lost two D-lineman pretty much for the year after cuts and before the first game which has been a huge challenge. I’m hurting for Alfred… It was real unfortunate for him.”
According to Shanahan, the injury happened in Tuesday’s practice just before the team started 11-on-11 drills. Like Okuayinonu, Collins will also require surgery and go on injured reserve in the near future, ending his second season before it could start.
The 49ers had some high expectations for Collins in 2026 after working him in as a rookie last season. A second-round pick in the 2025 draft, Collins played 16 games last season, posting 17 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles and two fumbles recoveries.
With Collins gone for the year, the 49ers will enter Thursday night’s season opener against the Rams with C.J. West and rookie Gracen Halton as the only healthy options on the 53-man roster who can start next to fellow defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
The good news for the 49ers is defensive end Nick Bosa, who’s recovering from an ACL injury, and tight end George Kittle, who’s recovering from an achilles injury, are expected to play against the Rams.
