49ers notebook: Williams details tough COVID fight; Moseley questionable for Bills game
49ers left tackle Trent Williams admitted Saturday his recent bout with COVID-19 was the most difficult thing he’s dealt with in his football career.
Williams said he contracted the virus following San Francisco’s Nov. 15 loss to the New Orleans Saints before the bye week, causing him to deal with the mental and physical struggles of quarantining in isolation for two weeks before making it back to play in last week’s win over the Rams without getting to practice.
“It was the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do in my career. Not only did I have, what, 14 days of literally nothing? But I spent that time battling COVID,” Williams said. “I wasn’t just sitting on the couch enjoying an iced lemonade and enjoying the newspaper. It was stressful time because you don’t know how it’s going to affect you, and nobody knows until it runs its course.”
Williams said he was fearful because of his pre-existing conditions. He has a history of asthma and had a bout with a cancerous growth beneath his scalp in 2019 that led to missing the entire season with Washington. And, listed at 320 pounds, Williams could have been at risk for the heart condition myocarditis that can result when bigger people become infected.
“It was more taxing on me mentally than it was physically,” said Williams. “Just not knowing the depths that it could go to. Just coming off the year I had in ’19 where things didn’t really go my way. I was kind of expecting this COVID deal to take the same turn. But luckily, I’m blessed. I got through it. Little to no effects from it now.”
Williams said it took about a week to get over the virus and another week to get his body close to football shape. He wasn’t allowed at the 49ers’ facility, save for daily testing each morning, before getting the green light to play on the Saturday before the Rams game.
“I honestly didn’t expect to play. I knew I wanted to and if it was possible I was going to give it a go,” he said. “But with all the protocols and the things that they had us going through, I definitely didn’t think that it was possible.”
The virus has taken roughly 279,000 lives since its outbreak in March and cases have spiked recently. California has issued a stay-at-home order that go into effect in parts of California on Sunday.
“I’m just thankful, man, because I know there’s a lot of people out there who battled this virus, and it didn’t end so well for them. I never want to overlook that,” Williams said. “The last couple years have been challenging, but I’m standing here, so I’m blessed.”
Williams and the 49ers, of course, are practicing in Glendale, Arizona, ahead of Monday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills after Santa Clara County announced restrictions to prevent contact sports, which included 49ers games and practices for at least the next three weeks. Monday’s game will be played at the Arizona Cardinals’ home venue, State Farm Stadium, as will the next home game against Washington on Dec. 13.
The 49ers had a season-high nine players added to the reserve/COVID-19 list during the bye week, but all have returned in recent days, including rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk and defensive tackle D.J. Jones, who will play after missing last week’s game.
Moseley questionable for Bills game
Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, who is the projected starter in the nickel position with K’Waun Williams (high ankle sprain) and Jamar Taylor (torn ACL) out, was listed as questionable for Monday night. Williams was the only other active player listed on the injury report. The rest of the active roster is healthy and good to play, including receiver Deebo Samuel, who missed practice time this week because of a sore hamstring.
Moseley was a limited participant in all three practices this week. If he can’t play, it’s unclear who the 49ers will call upon to play the difficult role covering Buffalo’s shifty wideout Cole Beasley.
“We’ll figure it out by Sunday,” Shanahan said.
The likely options would appear to be safety Jimmie Ward, cornerback Jason Verrett or Parnell Motley, who would have to activated from the practice squad. The unlikely options could be Richard Sherman, who played safety for two snaps against the Rams, Ahkello Witherspoon or Dontae Johnson, who played there sparingly during his first stint with the 49ers earlier in his career.
This story was originally published December 5, 2020 at 2:46 PM.
