Has Dee Ford Played his Final Snap With the 49ers?

Dee Ford is officially done for the 2021 season.

Kyle Shanahan revealed at his press conference on Wednesday that the 49ers will not be activating him off of Injured Reserve.

Today was the deadline for Ford to be activated after the 49ers had opened his three week practice window. Initially, Shanahan had sounded more upbeat about Ford's status when they first opened his window. Unfortunately, the back injury he sustained in 2020 appears too much to overcome in a short time.

Ford has played in only 11 games the past two seasons. That is the same amount he played in 2019 following an impressive year. This back injury just has bad news written all over it. To continue to deal with an unpredictable injury must be stressful on Ford, including all of the other injuries that have compiled throughout his career. At some point, the continual rehab could be tiresome itself. 

It makes you wonder, has Ford played his final snap with the 49ers?

I am not referring so much as the 49ers releasing him. Though, I wouldn't rule that out. The 49ers will be on the hook with Ford's contract regardless of when they cut him. And it is not like the 49ers can count on him, so cutting him is a moot point. You could argue cutting him would just be so the 49ers can salvage the little playing time they get from him already and place it elsewhere.

"No, we're not doing that now," said Shanahan on cutting Ford. "I mean, it's always a possibility, but no, that's not something we've discussed yet or decided on.”

What I'm getting at here is that Ford could call it quits. I do not think it is out of the realm of possibility that he could retire. Recall all of the quotes that John Lynch and Shanahan have said about Ford since the 2020 season ended. Ford had stayed on location to rehab and was doing his utmost to get in tip-top shape. He did that since the beginning of the year practically. 

Now, all of that work has gone to waste as he only managed seven games this season with little impact.

“I mean, that's what it sounds like, but you'd have to talk to him about that," said Shanahan on the idea of Ford retiring. "It's a back thing that I don't know if there's much rehab for it. You have to keep resting it and we've done that a bunch, so it's been tough on him, tough on us and it's just an unfortunate injury.”

An unfortunate injury indeed. Watching Ford continue to put himself at risk and grind so hard to get to a manageable level has to be taxing. It almost makes me wish the 49ers would advocate for him to put his pads down once and for all. Kind of like with Jordan Reed last year how it was scary to watch him knowing all of the concussions he's undergone. Caring about the person over the player should always come first.

You just wonder if Ford will be thinking that as he rehabs for the umpteenth time.