CHARLOTTE, N.C. — San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward‘s return from injured reserve didn’t last long Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
In fact, Ward, whom the Niners activated Saturday after he missed the first four games with a hamstring injury, lasted just one play before departing with a hand injury. The team immediately ruled out Ward’s potential return.
Ward started at more of a linebacker role than his usual free safety position. Tashaun Gipson remained the starter at free safety.
Ward walked back to San Francisco’s sideline with about nine minutes left in the second quarter wearing street clothes and pointing to his left hand as he spoke to teammates.
In his ninth season with the 49ers, Ward is a captain for the first time and is the team’s longest-tenured player. During the week, San Francisco had been enthusiastic about adding Ward back to the league’s No. 1 scoring defense.
“The energy that he brings just as a captain, as a leader of our team, just to get that guy back at this point in time out there with the group, I think, for the younger guys, it’s cool to see how veterans work and cool for them to have one of their leaders back out there,” defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans said Thursday. “And everybody feels that energy that Jimmie brings for us.”
Injuries have slowed Ward for most of his career, as he’s missed 35 games with a variety of issues since he entered the league as a first-round pick in 2014.