The San Francisco 49ers lost their starting running back Tevin Coleman during the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers to a shoulder.
In the midst of a celebratory day on the part of the San Francisco 49ers and their fans after learning they were Super Bowl bound in two weeks, the downside was knowing that their starting running back, Tevin Coleman, had been lost due to a nasty shoulder injury that required trainers’ attention and help off the field.
Fortunately, head coach Kyle Shanahan seems optimistic that the two-week break between the conference championships and the actual Super Bowl will be enough for Coleman to come back. Shanahan told reporters there’s a “good chance” Coleman will be available.
The Niners are built to withstand such a loss given the depth of their running back corps, as illustrated by Raheem Mostert’s dominance over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Even without their lead back, the Niners never abandoned the run. In fact, they leaned into it even more and still dominated Aaron Rodgers and company from the opening kickoff.
Still Coleman will be a nice weapon to have at the Niners’ disposal given his top-tier speed and athleticism. He had 544 rushing yards on 137 carries and 6 touchdowns in 2019 for the Niners. He also added 21 catches for 180 receiving yards and 1 more score through the air.
If Coleman is unable to go, Kyle Shanahan’s team would likely turn back to Mostert, who put up 220 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. on Sunday, along with Matt Breida, who is one of the single fastest players in the entire NFL (his speed rivals that of Tyreek Hill).