San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster was carted off the field with an ankle injury Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and will not return, the team announced.
Foster went down in the first quarter and immediately grabbed his ankle. He did return to the sideline shortly after leaving the field, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle, but wasn't able to re-enter the game.
The 49ers drafted Foster in the first round in 2017 and were expecting big things from the rookie. Fellow linebacker NaVorro Bowman has struggled to stay healthy in recent years, so San Francisco hoped Foster would be an impact player as well as provide insurance at the position.
