Veteran cornerback Eli Apple has found a new home in the NFL, having recently signed a short-term deal with the San Francisco 49ers. The 29-year-old professional, who has struggled with injuries throughout his professional career, will don San Francisco’s colors for the 2025-26 season, as per recent reports.
San Francisco 49ers sign Eli Apple on a one-year contract
On July 27, ESPN’s Adam Schefter took to X (formerly Twitter) to relay a message from Kevin Conner of Universal Sports and Entertainment Management, which represents Eli Apple among several other players currently participating in the NFL and the NBA, that their client has agreed to a one-year contract with the San Francisco.
Apple is coming off an injury-riddled season, with a hamstring issue restricting the seasoned cornerback to just four regular-season games and one playoff appearance for the Los Angeles Chargers. In his solitary campaign for the Chargers, the Ohio State Buckeyes alum could only manage an underwhelming two tackles, recording no assisted tackles or sacks. The new 49ers cornerback has suffered from multiple fitness issues in recent years, with Eli Apple playing just 14 games in the last two seasons.
As such, Apple will now play for the seventh team, in the form of the San Francisco 49ers, in only his 10th season. So far, the NFL journeyman has appeared for the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and lastly, the LA Chargers. In a combined 102 regular-season games for the aforementioned sides, the player recorded 383 tackles, six interceptions, 61 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries.
Meanwhile, the signing makes sense for the 49ers as well, with the Red and Gold recently losing their starting cornerback, Renardo Green, to a hamstring injury. While current estimations suggest that Green should return to the pitch sometime in August, a seasoned player like Apple should provide the appropriate cover for San Francisco in the former’s absence.