San Francisco 49ers Place Elijah Mitchell on Injured Reserve

SANTA CLARA, California — In a significant development for the San Francisco 49ers, the team has placed running back Elijah Mitchell on injured reserve after he suffered another hamstring injury during practice. This decision came unexpectedly on Tuesday afternoon as the team opted not to utilize one of their designations for Mitchell to return, effectively ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

A source informed ESPN on Tuesday evening that the recent injury occurred during Monday’s practice, where Mitchell was participating in individual drills but did not take part in team periods. This latest setback adds to a troubling history of injuries that have hindered Mitchell’s progress in becoming a key player in the 49ers’ ground game.

This marks the end of Mitchell’s fourth and final year on his rookie contract, making him an unrestricted free agent after the season concludes. Over the past three seasons, he has played in only 27 games, starting 12, due to various injuries including issues with his ribs, fingers, knee, and shoulder.

Mitchell made a notable impact as a rookie in 2021, rushing for 963 yards and five touchdowns across 11 games after stepping in as a starter. However, his appearances dwindled in 2022, where he played in only five games following the acquisition of Christian McCaffrey, who has since become the lead running back for the team.

During this year’s training camp, Mitchell was competing for the primary backup position behind McCaffrey but faced a hamstring injury early in August. Meanwhile, fellow running back Jordan Mason has averaged 5.6 yards per carry over his previous two seasons and has positioned himself to take over as the main backup due to Mitchell’s ongoing injuries.

Coach Kyle Shanahan expressed confidence in Mason’s abilities, stating, “He has been a tremendous running back since joining the team,” and recognized the improvement in Mason’s overall game, particularly on special teams. Mason has been the lead back during training camp as McCaffrey managed a calf injury.

In addition to McCaffrey and Mason, the 49ers retained two other running backs for their initial 53-man roster, indicating their efforts to maintain depth within the position following Mitchell’s injury.