"I talked with him last night, just calling him at his house," Shanahan said on Monday. "I haven't seen him today, but he was hurt and just bummed out, exactly how you'd expect. But B.A.'s a strong dude and spiritual guy, and believes everything happens for a reason, so he'll be all right."
Samuel shared a heartfelt message for his teammate on Instagram, promising to give his all for him on the field.
"Know I'm [going to] lay it all on the line for you brother!!! This one hurt [for real]," Samuel wrote (h/t Joaquin Ruiz of NBC Sports Bay Area for the find).
Samuel and Aiyuk have an evident bond. The duo even occasionally spoke to the media together during press conferences. The 49ers selected Samuel in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft and drafted Aiyuk in the first round (25th overall) the following year.
Aiyuk signed a contract extension just before the season began, making him one of the NFL's highest-paid receivers. He recorded 25 receptions for 374 yards before going down in the first half against the Chiefs.
In dealing with his own setback, Samuel was limited to just a few snaps on Sunday due to an illness. The severity wasn't known until Shanahan revealed that Samuel had been hospitalized with fluid in his lungs, battling pneumonia.
"It started acting up in the middle of the night, Saturday night, or early Sunday morning, and then it just kind of evolved as the day went," Shanahan explained. "So, once we found out he had the fluid in his lungs and stuff after the game, then I believe they sent him over there. I'm not sure the timeline of it, but I just found out that's where he was on Sunday night when I was at home."
The 49ers have been hit hard by injuries this season. Star running back Christian McCaffrey has yet to play due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis. Joining him on injured reserve are offensive lineman Jon Feliciano, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, safety Talanoa Hufanga, running back Elijah Mitchell, linebacker Curtis Robinson, cornerback Ambry Thomas, and kicker Matthew Wright.
Additionally, wide receiver Jauan Jennings missed Sunday's game with a hip injury, though Shanahan is optimistic he could return this week.
The 49ers dropped to 3-4 after Sunday's loss and aim to bounce back this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Whether Deebo Samuel will be healthy enough to play in the prime-time matchup remains to be seen.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
WR De'Zhaun Stribling's preseason debut shows 49ers may have themselves a gem
Less than four months ago, the San Francisco 49ers were getting plenty of heat over their decision to select wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling with the first overall selection in the second round of the NFL Draft. Now it seems like there's a real possibility Stribling could make... -
49ers' Trent Williams explains why Deebo Samuel could be better than ever
Tackle Trent Williams is among the many San Francisco 49ers players excited to have wide receiver Deebo Samuel back on the roster. During Thursday night's broadcast of the preseason game against the Tennessee Titans, the veteran offensive lineman went so far as to say that the... -
Deebo Samuel explains why 49ers reunion made perfect sense
It was somewhat surprising when the San Francisco 49ers signed Deebo Samuel to a one-year deal, reuniting with the wide receiver after he requested a trade last year. However, the reunion wasn't surprising to Samuel. He had been in talks with the 49ers for some time, as... -
49ers coach outlines Deebo Samuel's workload plan for 2026
The San Francisco 49ers' decision to reunite with wide receiver Deebo Samuel on a one-year deal makes sense. There is plenty of familiarity between Samuel and the organization, allowing him to quickly get back up to speed with his teammates during training camp. However,...