San Francisco: San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis will miss the remainder of the season and require surgery for a strained muscle in his left big toe.
Willis was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list on Tuesday for the injury suffered in the third quarter at St Louis on October 13.
A Pro Bowler all seven seasons in the NFL, Willis had missed six games in his career before this latest injury sidelined him for the final 10 games in 2014 for San Francisco (5-4). He had 34 tackles and an interception this season for the Niners.
Willis is a captain and leader of a 49ers team that has reached the NFC championship game in each of the past three seasons.
“We haven’t lost him in the locker room,” linebacker Michael Wilhoite said. “We’re still all together here. It hurts but at the same time we need to keep going out and winning games.”
Willis had hoped the injury wasn’t so serious to sideline him long-term. He missed practice last week after returning in a limited role the previous week.
After resting through the October 26 bye, Willis was back as part of the 49ers’ full active squad on the field for the start of practice on October 29, but he had been limited primarily to individual work.
This is a big loss to one of the NFL’s leading defences, though the 49ers are expected to have Aldon Smith back on Sunday on the road against the New York Giants.
