49ers receiver Michael Crabtree has surgery on torn Achilles

Mike Garafolo | USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree suffered a torn Achilles tendon during organized team activities Tuesday and has undergone surgery, the team announced Wednesday after a report by USA TODAY Sports revealed the injury.

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said Wednesday that Crabtree is not expected to miss the entire season.

The injury used to be an automatic season-ender but has since become one that can sometimes be rehabbed in a matter of months — as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Da'Quan Bowers did last year.

Both players tore the tendon in the spring and returned to the field after starting the year on the physically unable to perform list.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas can empathize with Crabtree. Thomas tore his Achilles' tendon while training in February 2011, just after his rookie season.

Thomas had surgery and was cleared to practice about seven months later, after missing all of Denver's offseason workouts and training camp. He didn't play until October 2011 (in part because of a broken finger suffered after returning to practice), but said it took until last summer to feel fully recovered.

"He's a great player and I'm sure he's going to work hard to get back and listen to all the people that he's got to listen to," Thomas said Wednesday. "But it's difficult at first, because it took a while for me to be able to do anything. You know, I had to wear a boot for six to eight weeks, and I couldn't do anything but upper body stuff. Once I got it off, I still had to take time, because it's a serious injury, and you don't want to take it too fast."

Crabtree, 25, is coming off a breakout season in which he had career-highs in receptions (85), yards (1,105) and touchdowns (nine), following three seasons in which he struggled to live up to the expectations placed upon him when the Niners selected him 10th overall in 2009.

The injury to Crabtree comes at an unfortunate point in his career and for the 49ers, though the team has been working to build depth on offense. Perhaps the Niners would consider bringing back Randy Moss, who hasn't yet retired and tweeted in March he "wished we could've finished the job!!"

In March, the Niners picked up receiver Anquan Boldin in a trade with the Ravens, sending Baltimore a sixth-round draft pick.

Crabtree did all he could to help the Niners win a title. He had a huge postseason – 20 catches for 285 yards and three touchdowns, with one of those touchdowns coming in the Super Bowl. But the 49ers needed one more score from him to beat the Baltimore Ravens as time was running out and were unable to get it.

Crabtree, who had a 24-yard catch to move the ball into Ravens territory, was the intended receiver on a quick rollout pass on third-and-goal and a fade on fourth-and-goal that sailed over his head as he was defended by Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith. Niners coach Jim Harbaugh wanted a pass-interference call on both plays but was denied by the officials.

Contributing: Lindsay H. Jones