49ers LB Ahmad Brooks leaves team for 'family reasons'

— -- SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks is away from the team for "family reasons," coach Jim Tomsula announced Wednesday morning.

Tomsula would not say when Brooks would return to the Niners, adding that the team was keeping him "in our prayers" in the meantime.

"He needs to attend [to matters] with his family right now," Tomsula said of Brooks, who is also facing misdemeanor sexual battery charges from a December incident at former Niners defensive lineman Ray McDonald's house.

Brooks did not face discipline from the league or team in the wake of the charges, which came in training camp, and he has played throughout.

And in Sunday's 17-3 loss to the Green Bay Packers, Brooks had a sack of Aaron Rodgers, along with a quarterback hit and five tackles. If Brooks does not play for the Niners in Sunday night's game at the New York Giants,  Corey Lemonier or rookie  Eli Harold would figure to replace him, with Aaron Lynch starting on the other side. Lynch had two sacks against the Packers.