One of the big questions throughout the week heading into the Monday Night match up with the Green Bay Packers was whether or not San Francisco 49ers running back Matt Breida would be healthy enough to go. Apparently we just should have asked the man himself because after the game he said he knew on the Tuesday before that he would play at Lambeau Field. Breida added that he would have had to be in a wheelchair before he would miss the game.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan complimented Breida’s toughness, battling through injury to play:
“I thought he ran hard. We had to stop him a little bit just to keep his health up. Breida is the man. For him to get out there, he was hurting a lot. Battled all week to try to get his body ready to play.He did a good job.”
Breida said it’s really just mental toughness that got him through the game and he didn’t feel any worse than he normally would after the game. The cold weather did limit his cutting ability on the field but ultimately he just felt sore. He finished the day with 14 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown, giving him an average of 4.4 yards per carry.
What really inspired him was the battling of his offensive line through injuries just as he was. Mike Person, Weston Richburg, and Joe Staley were all listed as questionable with knee injuries on the final injury report before the game.
“When you see your brothers going out there fighting every play and they’re hurt, you know, I’m going to go out there and do the same thing. It’s the mentality you have to have to play football.
“They’re incredible. Those guys go through everything each week, they get hit every play. Just for them all to be up this week and play was incredible and they played at a high level. It just goes to show you when they are 100% healthy what they will be able to do.”
The 49ers have a short week before playing the undefeated Rams at home on Sunday afternoon. Obviously if Breida has anything to say about it, he will be active for that game as well.