SANTA CLARA – Linebacker Curtis Robinson sees how wonderfully symbolic the “Monday Night Football” lights will be when they shine on his 49ers’ starting debut.
“I would say this is about as ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ as it gets,” Robinson said in an exclusive interview with this news organisation ahead of Monday’s game against Carolina.
A year ago, Robinson couldn’t put weight on his left leg, having just had reconstructive surgery to repair his knee’s anterior cruciate ligament and menisci.
He was just three days away from his starting debut when that Sept. 26 injury occurred in non-contact fashion at practice.
“Moments like this are what I always envisioned when going through the hardest parts of rehab,” said Robinson, a Stanford captain in his fifth and final year there before going undrafted in 2021, then joining the Denver Broncos and ultimately latching on that December with the 49ers.
Robinson gets his long-awaited starting shot after ankle injuries first took out Fred Warner (Oct. 12) and then Tatum Bethune (last Sunday) at the “Mike” linebacker spot. “Everything runs through that position,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “The MIKE gets everyone lined up and adjusted to all the motions. It’s a huge deal, schematically and mentally.
“But Curtis is the right dude for that.”
Robinson bounced on and off the 49ers’ practice squad before establishing himself, both on the field as a special-teams ace and as a heady presence as their players’ association representative. He nearly got activated for the 2023 team’s NFC Championship Game, only for Oren Burks’ shoulder to get cleared in pregame.
A year ago, after late October surgery in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Robinson launched his ACL comeback. He would savour every step, from the first time he walked on a treadmill in the training facility’s pool, to gettting off crutches, and ultimately returning to the field, even scoring on an interception return in the Aug. 23 preseason finale.
“He progressed as fast as I’ve seen anybody that’s come back from that type of injury,” Warner told this news organisation. “I’ve seen him work all year along, staying ready. He’s such a smart player, being able to play all three positions at linebacker. You’ve got to have trust in a guy to be able to play with the green dot.”
That dot signals the one player who can communicate via radio and hear the play calls of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who Robinson refers to as a “genius.”
As for his this debut, Robinson added: “I’ve been trying to really not make it about myself. It’s hard because it’s a huge opportunity. To play on Monday night in general is a big opp, and to be able to start after my personal experience is huge.”
WARNER’S COMEBACK SHOT
Warner’s surgically repaired right ankle is healing well enough he can soon ditch his knee-scooter. Shanahan initially was told Warner required a four-month recovery, and no one is indicating whether there’s a comeback potential in the playoffs.
“Hey, I guess time will tell. We’ll see,” Warner told the Bay Area News Group’s Jerry McDonald.
“I don’t think so,” Shanahan said. “But I haven’t asked (doctors) that. I’m sure it’s going awesome. Fred works as hard as anyone on the planet, so it’s going great.”
PRACTICE RECAP
Quarterback Brock Purdy was a full participant who Shanahan expects “to get better each week.” Purdy had been limited by his right big toe the previous weeks in practice ahead of last Sunday’s three-touchdown, 200-yard return.
Not practicing, as expected after Sunday’s injuries, were Bethune (ankle), defensive end Robert Beal (concussion) and kicker Eddy Piñeiro (hamstring), as well as their routine rest days for left tackle Trent Williams and running back Christian McCaffrey. Linebacker Luke Gifford (hip/neck) was limited while wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) and linebacker Dee Winters (knee) were full participants.
FORMER FOE ARRIVES
Matt Gay beat out four other kickers who auditioned to make the 49ers’ practice squad as Monday’s likely sub for Piñeiro. Gay is a seventh-year veteran who hit a pair of fourth-quarter field goals that kicked 2021 the Los Angeles Rams past the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game and toward the Lombardi Trophy. “He’s had a lot of success in this league and looked real good during our workout,” Shanahan said.
Gay has converted 84% of his 212 career field-goal attempts, but is 32-of-54 from at least 50 yards. “The uprights are the same wherever you go,” Gay said. “I’ve kicked a lot of balls, feel comfortable with myself going out there and being able to perform.”
PASS RUSH WOES
Even after the 49ers failed to sack Jacoby Brissett and yielded a NFL-record 37 completions, Shanahan thought the 49ers’ pass rush is improving in recent weeks, adding: “It doesn’t always mean that you get the sacks of it, but it’s not going to be what it has been in the past. Trying to get the most out of it.”