San Francisco 49ers LT Trent Williams exits SNF game at Denver Broncos with ankle injury

DENVER — San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams exited Sunday night’s game against the Denver Broncos with an ankle injury and was subsequently ruled out. The Broncos went on to defeat the 49ers 11-10.

Williams’ injury came on a disastrous play for the Niners in which quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo took the snap at San Francisco’s 1 and lost track of where he was in the end zone. He stepped on the end line before attempting to pass, resulting in a safety and trimming the 49ers’ lead to 7-5.

While the safety cost the Niners two points and possession, the bigger loss came in the form of Williams, their star left tackle and nine-time Pro Bowler.

With 9:53 to go in the third quarter, Garoppolo dropped back to pass as Williams blocked on the left edge. Williams blocked his man, but Niners center Jake Brendel engaged Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones.

As Brendel appeared to finish his block, he shoved Jones, who rolled into Williams’ right leg with his left leg. Williams went down and immediately grabbed at his leg in pain. A cart was quickly brought out for Williams, but he declined it and hobbled to the X-ray room at the south tunnel with help.

Jaylon Moore, a 2021 fifth-round pick out of Western Michigan, replaced Williams at left tackle.