The San Francisco 49ers have been arguably the most unlucky team in the NFL since the beginning of last season. After a year full of injuries in 2024, the 2025 season has started off the same way.
George Kittle went down last week with a hamstring injury. He will miss at least the next four games due to that injury. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only key player lost for the 49ers.
Star quarterback Brock Purdy is dealing with toe and shoulder injuries. He has already been ruled out for Week 2 and there have been some reports that he could miss up to five weeks. That would be a true worst-case scenario for San Francisco to kick off the season.
Read more:49ers Emerge as Possible Fit for Major QB Trade After Brock Purdy Injury
Ahead of the 49ers' Week 2 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, which Purdy will miss, the team has received a major new update about their quarterback.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter has provided a new update. San Francisco is reportedly "not optimistic" that Purdy will be able to make his return in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals. However, he reported that Purdy has made a lot of progress.
"49ers are not optimistic Brock Purdy will return from his toe injury for a Week 3 matchup vs. Arizona, but it's not out of the question and he has improved," Schefter wrote on X. "'We'll see for next week,' one source said about Purdy. 'Next week will be tight, but he progressed a lot this week.'"
In Week 1, Purdy was able to complete 26 of his 35 pass attempts for 277 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions to lead the 49ers to an NFC West rivalry win over the Seattle Seahawks.
More updates are sure to come throughout next week. He won't play today against the Saints, but there is still hope that he could make a quicker return than expected.
San Francisco will need to figure out a way to stay afloat and competitive in the meantime. Mac Jones will be the team's starting quarterback in Purdy's place. He is more than capable of leading an NFL offense.
Hopefully, the 49ers can take care of business against New Orleans. That would give Purdy another week where he could stay off the field even if he's close to ready to play in Week 3.
At least for now, this is a decent update for San Francisco. Purdy has indeed made a lot of progress towards his return to the field, even if he can't play next week.
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