Dre Greenlaw was back in the lineup Sunday in a 27-19 loss to the Miami Dolphins, but not for long.
The 49ers’ linebacker made a triumphant return from Achilles tendon surgery in a Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams that was 305 days after he was injured in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
Greenlaw battled soreness to get back in the lineup against Miami, but was done early in the first quarter with a calf injury. He’s scheduled for free agency this offseason.
In the previous week’s game against the Rams, Greenlaw had a spectacular first half in a 12-6 loss before shutting it down after 30 snaps, and it was clear the importance he put on getting back on the field this season after an injury that can take a year to fully recover.
Now that Greenlaw has made his point, both Greenlaw and the 49ers might be better served if he sits out games against Detroit and Arizona to close out a non-playoff season.
The 49ers (6-9) host Detroit (13-2) on Monday Night Football in Week 16 in a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game.
“He felt tightness in the calf so once that happened we shut him down,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “We’ll see if he pulled it or anything but we didn’t test it anymore after that.”
Greenlaw was visibly upset after his departure. He appeared to have his leg trapped under him in a pile. There’s no indication whether the injury is serious or just a warning which may necessitate a more measured approach for the last two games — if Greenlaw plays at all.
Shanahan will talk with local writers on a conference call Monday.
“I love going out there to battle with him, but it’s about saving Dre from himself sometimes too,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “He’s coming back from a major injury and everybody looks at the last game and how great he was, and that’s not normal. He’s dealing with something significant.”
Edge rusher Nick Bosa, who called Greenlaw one of the favorite teammates he has ever played with after the Rams game, had similar concerns.
“I felt for him today,” Bosa said. “He really wanted to play this year. He’s an incredible player, and sometimes with him, we need to protect him from himself, because he’ll play through anything. Sometimes when you go through an injury like that and it’s not ready, I think the best thing for him would be to take it as slow as he can.”
Greenlaw, 27, is finishing a two-year, $16 million contract extension. He told reporters this week he wasn’t thinking about another contract as much as playing and beating Miami.
General manager John Lynch told KNBR-680 last week the 49ers want to retain Greenlaw.
“We love Dre. We’re interested in keeping him here for a long time,” Lynch said. “He’s a special player.”
In a business sense, Greenlaw’s physical issues could make his price more affordable for the team. What the 49ers must decide is if they can count on him to hold up with his fearless playing style. Greenlaw’s impact when healthy is undeniable, but so is the impact on the 49ers defense when he can’t play.
Warner respects Greenlaw’s desire to play and his disappointment at leaving the Miami game, but understands the dilemma in terms of whether he should play in the last two games.
“He’s down. Dre’s built the right way,” Warner said. “He wants to be out there. He wants to help us win games and that’s my brother. We’ve got to hold him back from hurting himself more.”
