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The San Francisco 49ers waived wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge with an injury settlement on October 1, 2026, in a move linked to a knee injury, according to CBS Sports, citing ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Hodge had played in all three of San Francisco’s games that season, catching one pass for 18 yards. A return after he recovers was described as possible, not confirmed.

What happened to KhaDarel Hodge?

The reported transaction was made by the 49ers, not the Atlanta Falcons. Hodge joined San Francisco on a one-year contract announced August 5, 2026. The 49ers’ announcement noted his earlier stops with the Rams, Browns, Lions and Falcons. In the 2025 season with Atlanta, he played 12 games and recorded three receptions for 31 yards, according to the team’s signing announcement.

On October 1, CBS Sports reported that San Francisco waived Hodge with an injury settlement because of a knee injury. The report said he had appeared in all three 49ers games to that point and had one catch for 18 yards. It did not provide a diagnosis or recovery timetable.

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What does an injury settlement mean?

The NFL Players Association explains that an injury settlement generally removes the team’s obligations to a player regarding the injury. Examples include obligations to pay for treatment until the player is cleared and claims to future salary in that league year. The NFLPA also notes possible effects involving later-season injury protection, postseason money, Super Bowl tickets, credited-season status and active-player health insurance; some consequences can depend on the settlement amount. See the union’s player FAQ for its general explanation.

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Those are general rules, not disclosed terms of Hodge’s agreement. The reporting does not state how much he received or what specific provisions he accepted.

How is a waiver different from the settlement?

They concern separate parts of the move. The waiver process allows another team to claim a player’s contract before the player becomes a free agent, as explained by NFL Football Operations. The injury settlement, by contrast, addresses certain team obligations connected to the player’s injury. The available report describes both as part of Hodge’s transaction but does not provide further individual contract details.

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Could Hodge return to the 49ers?

Possibly, but there is no confirmed plan. CBS Sports said the 49ers might bring Hodge back once he is healthy. That is a reported possibility, not an announced signing or a guarantee that he will return.

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Was this the same as his departure from Atlanta?

No. The Falcons announced Hodge’s release on March 9, 2026, in a separate transaction. San Francisco later signed him in August. The October waiver with an injury settlement was a subsequent 49ers move, not the Falcons release.

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