49ers condemn fan for sending vile, racist message to Cardinals' Budda Baker

Safety Budda Baker was subject to racial abuse from a San Francisco 49ers fan after he starred in the Cardinals' 24-20 win over the 49ers. Blaming Baker for a knee injury to George Kittle, 49ers fans sent a string of messages to Baker after Sunday's game. Baker shared screenshots of the Instagram messages on social media where one fan can be seen using the N-word and even calling Baker a 'monkey.'

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The 49ers were quick to react to the incident, issuing a statement on Tuesday. The San Francisco 49ers condemned the fan for his hateful racist attack and noted that the team will be investigating the incident to identify who sent the messages to Budda Baker. The account has since been deleted from Instagram.

"The San Francisco 49ers unequivocally denounce the racist messages sent to Budda Baker. The individual who sent the messages does not represent the 49ers or the Faithful," the 49ers said in the statement. "Per team policy, we are working to identify this person and will ban them from all 49ers games and events. Incidents like this demonstrate how much work remains to be done to address racism and hate in our society. We remain steadfast in our commitment to that work."

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The unidentified 49ers fan blamed Baker for the injury George Kittle sustained during Sunday's game. During a late first-half play, Baker tackled the tight end, which saw Kittle hobbling near the sidelines. The 26-year-old was forced to miss a brief period of the game but was back on the field to finish the contest. The 49ers tight end is listed questionable for the 49ers' upcoming game against the New York Jets. Reported to be a knee sprain, Kittle's condition will be closely monitored before determining if he could start on Sunday. 

Kittle suffered a similar injury against the Cardinals last season, which the 49ers described as a 'popped capsule' in the knee. Kittle missed a significant portion of that game and likewise came back onto the field during the latter stages to finish the game. 

Cardinals vs 49ers highlights

Meanwhile, Budda Baker was one of the best players on the field on Sunday. The 24-year-old registered 15 tackles, helping the Cardinals score a close win over last year's Super Bowl runners-up. Quarterback Kyle Murray had a stellar game where he threw for 230 yards and one touchdown and an interception. Murray was equally impressive as a rushing QB, completing 13 carries for 76 yards and one touchdown. 

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(Image Credits: Budda Baker Instagram)