All Trojans

OFFICIAL: San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Safety Talanoa Hufanga Inactive vs. New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers All-Pro Safety Talanoa Hufanga is officially inactive vs. New York Jets. The former USC Trojans star will miss the Niners season opener.

Kyron Samuels

Nov 12, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga (29) and teammates celebrate a fumble recovery during the third quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
Nov 12, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga (29) and teammates celebrate a fumble recovery during the third quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images / Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
In this story:

BREAKING:

San Francisco 49ers Safety Talanoa Hufanga has been ruled out of the Monday Night Football season opener against the New York Jets. Hufanga, who is entering the fourth season of his NFL career is still recovering from an ACL injury that ended his 2023 season in Week 11.

The 49ers have officially activated two players from the practice squad, safety Tracy Walker III and defensive end Sam Okuayinonu. Walker will fill in for Hufanga who is expected to return to game action soon.

Hufanga, a former USC Trojan, was named an All-American after the 2020 season. He was also selected as the Co-Polynesian College Football Player of The Year and Pac-12 Defensive Player of The Year. The 49ers selected Hufunga in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

As a professional, Hufanga was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler after his stellar campaign in the 2022 season. During that breakout year, Hufanga tallied 97 tackles, nine pass breakups, five tackles for loss, four interceptions, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one defensive touchdown.

It’s been great to see him. He looks good,” defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said on Friday. “When I see him out there moving around, I think a lot of it is part of just the process. This was just the next step."

“But seeing him out there and trying to watch him, specifically in his individuals and some of the reps that he gets out there with the look team, he looks good. So it’s about him, how does he feel? Is he hitting those percentage numbers that he needs to hit with the strength, all those tests that they do, that I don’t know fully. They kind of give you some of it. But just talk him through it and see how he feels.”

As a vital part to one of the best defenses in the National Football League, Hufanga’s presence will be sorely missed. Getting fully healthy and then into playing shape will be paramount for the 49ers' success this season as they missed his playmaking ability in the playoff and the Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. 

MORE: USC Trojans Building Momentum As a Playoff Contender: Focused on 'Present Moment'

MORE: USC Trojan Football: Three Instant Takeaways From 48-0 Win Over Utah State

MORE: USC Trojans vs. Utah State: Instant Analysis, Lincoln Riley's Aggressive Trojans

MORE: USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley Reacts To Miller Moss TMZ Investigation

MORE: Every Time USC Football was Mentioned on College GameDay in Week 2

Published
Kyron Samuels
KYRON SAMUELS

Kyron Samuels is a former college and professional football player now a writer, analyst, & digital host. Kyron is a writer for USC Trojans on SI and contributes to Oregon Ducks on SI. A graduate and letterman at Jacksonville State University, Samuels was a three-year starter, two-time all-conference, and won three consecutive conference titles. After a four-year professional stint between the AFL & XFL, Samuels retired from football. In 2022, Samuels was inducted into the Fairhope Athletic Hall of Fame. Post-playing career, Samuels has become a credentialed sports media member covering the NFL, UFL, USFL, & college football. The NFL Combine, Reese’s Senior Bowl, & East-West Shrine Bowl are amongst the events Kyron has covered. As a guest and host, Samuels has been featured on ESPNRadio, FoxSportsRadio, & IHeartRadio. Outside of sports media, Samuels works as a scouting consultant and has experience coaching at the collegiate level.