49ers’ Kyle Shanahan provides injury updates after preseason game, including hope on Austen Pleasants’ knee

The San Francisco 49ers came out of Thursday night’s preseason action with mixed news on the health of two players, as coach Kyle Shanahan delivered injury updates afterward. Shanahan’s central message was cautious optimism: he believes Austen Pleasants avoided an ACL injury, a determination that would significantly affect the way the 49ers evaluate their depth and return to full-speed practice routines.

Preseason football is where coaches sort out rotations, identify who can handle specific matchup situations, and reduce risk before the regular season begins. With that in mind, the nature of a knee injury carries extra weight. Shanahan’s belief that Pleasants avoided an ACL suggests the injury may be less severe than initially feared, but the 49ers still must treat the situation as day-to-day until further testing and practice results confirm the recovery timeline.

Alongside Pleasants, Shanahan also discussed Robert Jones. The coach indicated that Jones might miss the team’s preseason finale, meaning the 49ers could be without one of their available options for the final evaluation window. For a team building its roster and playing-time plan, missing a game during the final week of exhibition action can alter how coaches distribute reps across the second and third units.

The preseason finale is not just another game for most teams. It is often the last stretch where coaches can safely look at bubble players, reinforce communication in game tempo, and confirm that depth pieces can execute under live conditions. If Jones sits, it increases the odds that other players on the roster will see expanded opportunities to demonstrate coverage discipline, run support, and special-teams readiness.

At the same time, Shanahan’s update on Pleasants suggests the 49ers could be tracking a path back to normal involvement more quickly than a worst-case ACL scenario would allow. Even with that optimism, the team’s handling of his workload will likely remain conservative, given the high risk of re-injury when a knee has been the focus of concern.

The 49ers’ next steps will matter both for short-term depth decisions and for the regular-season training camp picture. If Pleasants continues to progress without setbacks, the staff can more confidently plan around his role in the rotation. If Jones is ultimately unavailable for the preseason finale, San Francisco will need to tighten the plan for who fills the gap and how many reps go to each competing candidate.