San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis will miss the remainder of the 2014 NFL season as he is set to undergo surgery for the strained muscle in his left big toe, reports revealed.

The 49ers placed Willis on season-ending injured reserve list on Tuesday after the Pro-Bowler remained inactive since hurting his toe in their 31-17 win over the St. Louis Rams on Oct. 13 at Edward Jones Dome.

"It's very frustrating," Willis told ESPN. "My teammates mean everything to me and I want to be out there experiencing all the good times and all the rough times with them."

Willis, who had 34 tackles and one interception in six games this season, took a two-week rest before returning to practice last week, but he was limited to individual work as he is still bothered by his hurting toe.

The 29-year-old said that he thought he would be ready to return after resting for a couple of weeks, but his condition did not improve, leading to his decision to sit out for the remainder of the season.

"I felt, maybe just give it a couple of weeks but it just didn't get better," Willis said. "I feel like I have five or six years left in my body so I have to think about the big picture. I promise you when I come back I will be bigger and better than I was."

The eight-year veteran also revealed that his toe has been bothering him over the past several years, but he decided to play through pain until he hurt it badly against the Rams.

With Willis out for the rest of the year, the 49ers signed running back Alfonso Smith to a one-year contract to fill their roster up. They are also set to welcome Aldon Smith, who will practice with the team this week after serving his nine-game suspension for violating the league's policy on substance abuse and personal conduct.

The 49ers, who are currently third in the NFC West standings with their 5-4 record, will face the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

For the latest sports news, follow Latin Post Sports on Twitter.

FOR MORE NFL NEWS, TRADE AND FREE AGENCY UPDATES, CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VISIT LATIN POST.COM'S SPORTS PAGE.

Related