Second-year Arizona Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons went into the blue injury tent and to the locker room after suffering contact to his head in the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
Simmons was being evaluated for a concussion, the team said.
Simmons was injured chasing down and shouldering into 49ers quarterback Trey Lance as he attempted to dive for a touchdown on a fourth down attempt from the 1-yard line.
Find a better goal-line defense. We dare you. pic.twitter.com/dFz8qrqFwe
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 10, 2021
Before he left the game, Simmons had two tackles with a half-sack credited on the fourth-down stop.
The linebacker led the team through four games with 23 tackles. He also had two passes defensed, an interception and two forced fumbles heading into the Week 5 outing.
The Cardinals will likely turn to a linebacker rotation that involves starter Jordan Hicks, plus rookie Zaven Collins and backup Tanner Vallejo, the last of whom was in on the Simmons stop of Lance at the goal line.
Arizona’s defense got off to a strong start against Lance, who was making his first start in place of Jimmy Garoppolo.
Safety Budda Baker recorded a pick before the Cardinals posted two fourth-down stops to end 49ers drive on the first three San Francisco possessions of the game at State Farm Stadium.