The San Francisco 49ers placed linebacker Malcolm Smith, a former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, on the injured reserve list on Monday with a torn pectoral muscle, ending his 2017 season.

Smith was injured on Saturday in practice at the team's Levi's Stadium.

The 28-year-old joined the 49ers as a free agent on March 9 after signing a five-year, $26.5 million (22.5 million euros) deal.

He played in 15 games, including 14 starts, for the Oakland Raiders last season, and he started all 16 games in 2015, when he had four sacks for the Raiders.

Smith was the MVP of Super Bowl 48 following the 2013 season while playing for the Seattle Seahawks. He is one of just 10 defensive players to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.

He recorded six tackles, returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown and recovered a fumble in the Seahawks' 43-8 blowout victory over the Denver Broncos.

The 49ers signed linebacker Austin Calitro on Monday. The 23-year-old Calitro signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie free agent out of university on May 5 and was waived by the Jets 10 days later.

source: AFP