The San Francisco 49ers have been stung by the injury bug again.
They’ve lost star tight end George Kittle to a hamstring injury, and to make things worse, quarterback Brock Purdy could also be sidelined.
“49ers HC Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Brock Purdy could miss ‘multiple weeks’ and that he is a ‘long shot’ to play Sunday at New Orleans. 49ers QB Mac Jones is in line to start,” ESPN insider Adam Schefter wrote on X.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Brock Purdy could miss “multiple weeks” and that he is a “long shot” to play Sunday at New Orleans. 49ers QB Mac Jones is in line to start. https://t.co/Wp7v5tlIvU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 10, 2025
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said Purdy is dealing with a variant of turf toe and could be out for 2-5 weeks.
The 49ers will turn to Jones, a former NFL starter.
Shanahan was reportedly high on Jones when he was coming into the league in the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Niners were potentially looking to select him before trading up to take Trey Lance at No. 3 overall.
The New England Patriots then drafted Jones at No. 15, and he had a very good rookie season before falling off.
The Niners deploy a run-heavy offense, and Christian McCaffrey will become even more important in Purdy’s absence.
Purdy signed a big contract extension this offseason, so even if Jones plays well, the 49ers are unlikely to reconsider their depth chart.
But this can be Jones’ chance to prove that he’s not a draft bust and can help a contending team win some games.
NEXT: Key 49ers Player Is Dealing With Two Injuries