49ers Clubhouse

San Francisco Chronicle

Plummer will wait to see if surgery needed

January 14, 2003

Ron Kroichick
One day after dislocating his right shoulder in Sunday's playoff loss to Tampa Bay, cornerback Ahmed Plummer was wearing a San Francisco Giants warm- up jacket. His pitching arm was not visible.
Plummer's right arm still rested in a sling, hidden beneath his jacket, in the wake of Sunday's injury. An MRI exam Monday morning revealed no additional damage, so Plummer said he will wait four weeks to see if the tissue heals "over the socket."
If it does not heal properly, then he will need surgery.
Plummer acknowledged his frustration as a spectator on Sunday. He hurt his shoulder on the 13th play from scrimmage, so he spent most of the game standing on the sideline, watching his teammates take a decisive beating.
"I wanted to play, but I couldn't move the arm the proper way to run," Plummer said. "It was very difficult to watch. I prepared all week for the challenge."
Given his attire during the interview, Plummer was asked the traditional off-season baseball question: Will you be ready for spring training? He chuckled and said, "Maybe they'll let me take batting practice or something."
EXIT POLLS: In many respects, it seemed like the 49ers departed the playoffs at a logical time. They advanced one round further than they did last season, but Tampa Bay exposed San Francisco's flaws in convincingly bouncing the 49ers.
Don't tell that to the players.
"I think we should have gone further," linebacker Derek Smith said. "I think we should have gone to the Super Bowl this year."
Said Plummer: "I think we're on the right path. . . . Both of those teams (Philadelphia and Tampa Bay) have experience. We're getting to that point where a lot of guys have that kind of experience."
BRIEFLY: Coach Steve Mariucci said defensive end John Engelberger (ankle) will have arthroscopic surgery today and guard Eric Heitmann (broken hand) will have surgery Wednesday. . . . Mariucci, on his decision to let time expire in Sunday's first half: "We had things we needed to fix in a big way. The wheels were starting to come off." . . . And on the 49ers entering the offseason about $8 million over the salary cap: "That's the best number I've heard since I've been here."

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Ron Kroichick

One day after dislocating his right shoulder in Sunday's playoff loss to Tampa Bay, cornerback Ahmed Plummer was wearing a San Francisco Giants warm- up jacket. His pitching arm was not visible.

Plummer's right arm still rested in a sling, hidden beneath his jacket, in the wake of Sunday's injury. An MRI exam Monday morning revealed no additional damage, so Plummer said he will wait four weeks to see if the tissue heals "over the socket."

If it does not heal properly, then he will need surgery.

Plummer acknowledged his frustration as a spectator on Sunday. He hurt his shoulder on the 13th play from scrimmage, so he spent most of the game standing on the sideline, watching his teammates take a decisive beating.

"I wanted to play, but I couldn't move the arm the proper way to run," Plummer said. "It was very difficult to watch. I prepared all week for the challenge."

Given his attire during the interview, Plummer was asked the traditional off-season baseball question: Will you be ready for spring training? He chuckled and said, "Maybe they'll let me take batting practice or something."

EXIT POLLS: In many respects, it seemed like the 49ers departed the playoffs at a logical time. They advanced one round further than they did last season, but Tampa Bay exposed San Francisco's flaws in convincingly bouncing the 49ers.

Don't tell that to the players.

"I think we should have gone further," linebacker Derek Smith said. "I think we should have gone to the Super Bowl this year."

Said Plummer: "I think we're on the right path. . . . Both of those teams (Philadelphia and Tampa Bay) have experience. We're getting to that point where a lot of guys have that kind of experience."

BRIEFLY: Coach Steve Mariucci said defensive end John Engelberger (ankle) will have arthroscopic surgery today and guard Eric Heitmann (broken hand) will have surgery Wednesday. . . . Mariucci, on his decision to let time expire in Sunday's first half: "We had things we needed to fix in a big way. The wheels were starting to come off." . . . And on the 49ers entering the offseason about $8 million over the salary cap: "That's the best number I've heard since I've been here."

Tell us what you think on the new 49ers Clubhouse message board.