Niners lose veteran returner Rossum to fluke ankle injury

IRVING, Texas -- San Francisco 49ers veteran kick returner Allen Rossum left Sunday's game at Dallas with a sprained right ankle injury sustained while waiting to return a punt.

Rossum was moving to field a punt in the second quarter when he suddenly dropped to the ground. The ball then bounced over him, and was downed by the Cowboys at the 1.

After trainers tended to Rossum on the field and helped him to his feet, the player walked off the field without any assistance. He was taken to the locker room for X-rays and his return was questionable.

Rossum, in his 11th NFL season, has 11,613 career kickoff return yards, second-most in NFL history behind Brian Mitchell's 14,014, and had a 104-yard touchdown this season. He also has 2,893 career punt return yards.