49ers safety Jimmie Ward returned from a hamstring injury to join the team for Sunday’s road game against the Panthers, but he didn’t stick around long.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday that Ward broke his hand on the opening kickoff of the game and then stayed in for the first defensive play because he couldn’t believe that he’d suffered the injury.
Shanahan also said that Ward will have surgery on Tuesday to address the injury. Once that surgery is done, the 49ers will have a clearer idea of Ward’s timetable and whether he will be able to play with a club on his hand until it has healed.
While the 49ers cruised to a win over the Panthers, it was a painful night for the secondary. Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.