SANTA CLARA, Calif. — After missing six games with a broken fibula, San Francisco 49ers left tackle Joe Staley is out again for at least another couple of weeks.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that Staley had finger surgery after he fractured and dislocated it in Monday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
“He will not play this week,” Shanahan said. “He’ll probably be out a couple weeks.”
Staley suffered the injury in the game and was able to play through it, but when he woke up on Tuesday morning, it had swelled considerably and he sought out San Francisco’s medical staff to find out the extent of the injury.
Shanahan told reporters Tuesday afternoon that Staley had the broken finger but was seeking a second opinion before getting the surgery that would require him to miss a couple of weeks.
As it turned out, Staley needed the surgery and underwent the procedure Tuesday evening. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey, a close friend of Staley’s, said he has been in touch with Staley.
“It was an unfortunate thing, didn’t even realized that it happened,” McGlinchey said. “It was a finger that I think he had already had some issues with, and he came in the next morning and it had ballooned up on him and it was like an afterthought. Unfortunately, that’s the results that came back. But his spirits are high, he’s going to continue to rehab and be a pro like he always does and hopefully we get him back in a few weeks.”
Rookie Justin Skule, who filled in for Staley while he was out earlier this season, will “most likely” step back in to that role, according to Shanahan.
“I thought he did a very good job,” Shanahan said. “He came in there and stepped it up right away. I thought he got better each week.”