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Niners' Reuben Foster leaves loss with ankle injury

Disaster has struck the San Francisco 49ers.

Minutes into Sunday's season-opening tilt with the Panthers, the team lost first-round linebacker Reuben Foster to a right ankle injury. The 49ers downgraded him to out.

Coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters after the game that x-rays were negative.

Foster was carted off the field after the injury, silencing a debut that was already filled with promise. Minutes earlier, Foster looked like a comfortable veteran, moving swiftly into space to diagnose and nearly pick off a pass from Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.

Showing extreme athleticism and coverage skills, the 6-foot-1, 228-pound Foster already stands as one of the team's most important young players. His loss would be tough to mask over for this up-and-coming front seven.