The San Francisco 49ers have not had trouble winning without quarterback Brock Purdy, which is good since he may not be healthy any time soon.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan announced that Purdy may not be full strength for the rest of this season after he missed his fifth straight game, a 34-24 win over the New York Giants.
The 49ers (6-3) are 5-2 with Mac Jones as their starting quarterback while Purdy has sat out with a lingering toe injury. He missed two games earlier in the season due to the toe ailment, and an injury to his non-throwing shoulder.
According to reports Purdy may well enough to return for San Francisco’s showdown Sunday against the rival Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium.
Brock Purdy May Not Be 100 Percent Again This Season
No player, who play any meaningful number of snaps, is ever 100 percent when the calendar hits November. But Purdy’s toe issue — which is being called turf toe and medically is a hyperextended big toe that is especially painful while playing on artificial turf — is likely to be an issue for the 49ers for the rest of the season.
“Any time you’re dealing with this turf toe, it’s something that probably won’t full go away all year,” Shanahan said after the 49ers’ 34-24 win over the Giants. “Regardless of when he comes back, he’s always going to have to deal with it a little bit.”
The 49ers have played two straight games on turf, and three of the past five on artificial surfaces, a streak that will end when they return home to take on the Rams. That game will start a streak of five straight games on grass — four in a row, then their Week 14 bye and finally a home game in Tennessee.
That makes Sunday’s game conducive for Purdy to return, according to Shanahan.
“When you talk to people who have gone through turf toe, it’s really about when is it the best time when you have to deal with it the least,” Shanahan said. “It’s a little bit of a tricky decision.”
The 49ers Are Trying To Get Brock Purdy As Healthy As Possible Before He Returns
Shanahan was asked about the potential for Purdy to have toe surgery, which he said is unlikely.
But with Jones playing as well as he has in his pro career — the fifth-year QB has a 67.2 completion percentage, a 10-5 touchdown-to-interception rate and is averaging 261.7 passing yards per game — there has been no reason to rush Purdy back.
Shanahan said he is trying to ease Purdy back into practice while being mindful not to overdo the QB amid his condition. The Niners have about an 80 percent chance of making the playoffs, and they’ll want their No. 1 QB to be healthy if they’re going to make a run at playing a Super Bowl on their home field in February.
“I just want to make sure he gets 100 percent better, and I won’t put him out there too early,” Shanahan said. “I thought about [Purdy] as a backup or emergency [third QB], but I think the more time we give him the better.”
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