San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan offered a cautious update on quarterback Brock Purdy’s recovery, describing it as “sensitive.”
Purdy, who has been sidelined for four straight games due to a toe injury aggravated in Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, returned to practice Wednesday but only on a limited basis.
Shanahan stopped short of confirming whether Purdy will play Sunday against the New York Giants, saying the decision will depend on how confident the quarterback feels about his toe.
“If he gets out there and he’s hobbling around and stuff, he won’t be out there,” Shanahan told reporters. “They’re really iffy things. Last time, we felt like he was feeling pretty good, looked pretty good in practice and then in the game one hit, and it set him back five or six weeks.”
He added that the situation “is not as black and white as you guys want it to be.”
If Purdy cannot suit up, Mac Jones is expected to start again. San Francisco is 4-2 with Jones under center this season, though his recent stretch includes four interceptions and just two touchdowns in the last three games. The 49ers enter Week 9 at 5-3 and remain in the NFC playoff mix.
Shanahan cautious as 49ers weigh Purdy’s return
Shanahan emphasized that Purdy’s ability to play will hinge on how his toe responds to practice reps this week. The fourth-year QB first hurt his toe during San Francisco’s opener against the Seattle Seahawks and aggravated it again in the matchup with Jacksonville.
Purdy has not played since, and his absence continues to complicate San Francisco’s offense. The coach said Purdy will “get some reps” in practice but didn’t specify whether they would come with the first team.
He also declined to provide a timeline for a decision, noting that the recovery process “isn’t as black and white.”
When asked why Purdy and other injured players like wide receiver Ricky Pearsall weren’t placed on injured reserve, Shanahan explained that the team hoped they could return sooner since “all of them were kind of week-to-week.”
Purdy, who signed a five-year, $265 million extension in May, threw for over 300 yards in his last appearance but admitted the toe pain returned later that night.
Oddsmakers have taken note, with San Francisco’s betting line slightly shifting from -120 to -115 at DraftKings, signaling uncertainty over who will start in New York.
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