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Sophomore 92 Tackles Safety Opens Practice Window, Returns to Practice Today

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The San Francisco 49ers received a major boost today as one of their most promising defensive pieces finally returned. The team has officially opened his practice window, signaling the end of a long injury layoff.

This news comes after months of uncertainty regarding his recovery timeline. Fans and coaches alike had been waiting for clarity, and this update brings optimism at a pivotal point in the regular season.

Malik Mustapha, the 49ers’ high-energy safety, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Week 18 last year. The injury abruptly ended his season and left him on the reserve list to start this one.

Under NFL rules, the practice window lasts 21 days once activated. During this period, the 49ers can evaluate Mustapha’s progress and decide whether to return him to the 53-man active roster.

Mustapha, a 2024 NFL Draft pick, showcased a fiery play style and decisive tackling ability in college. Throughout his NCAA career, he racked up dozens of tackles and was regarded as one of the most promising safeties in his class. Transitioning to the NFL, Mustapha impressed as a rookie in 2024, appearing in 16 games with 12 starts. He finished the year with 92 tackles (two forced fumbles), one interception, and five passes defended.

Unfortunately, his professional path was interrupted early by the injury. Mustapha missed an important opening stretch, raising questions about his long-term durability despite his undeniable speed, strength, and determination.

👉FULL POST : https://x.com/_malikmustapha/status/1975333016068366400/photo/1 

Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the update earlier this week. “That has been discussed,” Shanahan said, emphasizing the team’s excitement to finally see Mustapha back on the practice field.

For a San Francisco defense seeking added depth and explosiveness, Mustapha’s return couldn’t be better timed. If he proves his health, the young safety could be the spark the 49ers need to reinforce their defense for the season’s push.

Chiefs Head Coach Announces Chris Jones to Start on the Bench for Standout Rookie After Costly Mistake vs. Jaguars
  Kansas City, MO —The Kansas City Chiefs’ coaching staff confirmed that Chris Jones will start on the bench in the next game to make way for rookie DT Omarr Norman-Lott, following a mistake viewed as pivotal in the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The move is framed as a message about discipline and micro-detail up front, while forcing the entire front seven to re-sync with Steve Spagnuolo’s system. Early-week film study highlighted two core issues. First, a neutral-zone/offsides penalty on a late 3rd-and-short that extended a Jaguars drive and set up the decisive points. Second, a Tex stunt (tackle–end exchange) that broke timing: the call asked Jones to spike the B-gap to occupy the guard while the end looped into the A-gap, but the footwork and shoulder angle didn’t marry, opening a clear cutback lane. To Spagnuolo, this was more than an individual error—it was a warning about snap discipline, gap integrity, pad level, and landmarks at contact, the very details that define Kansas City’s “January standard.” Under the adjusted plan, Omarr Norman-Lott takes the base/early-downs start to tighten interior gap discipline, stabilize run fits, and give the call sheet a cleaner platform. Chris Jones is not being shelved; he’ll be “lit up” in high-leverage situations—3rd-and-long, two-minute stretches, and the red zone—where his interior surge can collapse the pocket and force quarterbacks to drift into edge pursuit. In parallel, the staff will streamline the call sheet with the line group, standardize stunt tags (Tex/Pir), shrink the late-stem window pre-snap, and ramp game-speed reps in 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 so everyone is “seeing it the same, triggering the same.” Meeting the decision head-on, Jones kept it brief but competitive: “I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect the coach’s decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is snapped, the QB will know who I am.” At team level, the Chiefs are banking on a well-timed hard brake to restore core principles: no free yards, no lost fits, more 3rd-and-longs forced, and the return of negative plays (TFLs, QB hits) that flip field position. In an AFC where margins often come down to half a step at the line, getting back to micro-details—from the first heel strike at the snap to the shoulder angle on contact—remains the fastest route for Kansas City to rebound from the stumble against Jacksonville.