The player who took over Jarryd Hayne as the San Francisco 49ers' punt returner has been injured and carted off the field in the opening minutes of their clash with the St Louis Rams.
Reggie Bush caught the first punt of the game, ran across field for no gain, slipped over on a hardened area just off the playing surface and injured his knee.
Kendall Gaskins, the 49ers running back who was elevated to the team's 53-man squad after Hayne's surprise axing, also had a forgettable opening touch when he slipped over for a loss of two yards.
The 49ers lead the Rams 3-2 late in the first quarter at St Louis' Edward Jones Dome, with Hayne's fate likely to be known on Monday when it is expected to be revealed if another NFL team has picked him up, or if not, whether the 49ers signed him to their practice squad.
- AAP
