A young San Francisco 49ers defense suffered a significant blow last week when the team placed veteran Antoine Bethea on injured reserve with a reported torn pectoral muscle.
The 10th-year safety sustained the injury midway through Thursday night's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Bethea had started 119 consecutive games, including the first 23 of his 49ers career. He was voted team MVP in 2014.
“With Antoine, what you see on the field, it’s as big or bigger off the field,” Jim Tomsula said on KNBR on Tuesday morning. “He’s exactly the kind of guy you want.