The San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy injured his shoulder and toe in Week 1 against the Seahawks and missed two games. He returned in Week 4 vs. the Jaguars, got hurt again, and missed two more games. He is now back at practice, but head coach Kyle Shanahan is being cautious and not rushing the 25-year-old’s return.

The coach was disappointed after losing the Week 6 matchup against the Buccaneers. He doesn’t want to miss the playoff spot this year. In this situation, he is also willing to rest Purdy a little longer. He said Mac Jones will most likely start in the Week 7 game against the Falcons.

The 27-year-old has emerged as a solid QB2 and has won 3 of 4 games he has started in 2025. So, the Niners are hoping for a comeback to the winning track. And they are showing full trust in their backup signal caller, allowing the starter to take his time.

Jones had a wonderful start to his season but got banged up during the Buccaneers matchup.

He only completed 29 of 37 passes (69.2% completion rate) for 347 yards, no scores, and only 2 interceptions. But overall, he has been phenomenal. During the week 5 game against the Rams, his pre-game fit, a red and black suit, and his performance in the game definitely made him a superhero in the Bay Area.

In 4 games, Jones has completed 113 of 138 passes (67.3% completion rate) for 1252 yards, six touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. However, everyone is waiting to see Brock Purdy. They finally got a glimpse.

Brock Purdy is working toward a silent return

On Thursday, October 16, 49ers fans received good news as Brock Purdy practiced for the second straight day. However, he was listed as a limited participant. The team management doesn’t want its starting quarterback to suffer any serious setbacks or risk missing the entire season.

The SF Standard reporter David Lombardi echoed the same sentiment. He gave an update to the fans after Thursday’s practice. “Brock Purdy is back out on that practice field for the second straight day. Looks like there’s plenty of zip on his passes,” he said. But he also opined that Jones looked like a more suitable candidate to start.

“Mac Jones is likely to start on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. That’s just based on the division of labor that I see at practice,” he added. But he then also revealed that Brock Purdy is the QB2 or the emergency signal caller. The plan is clear. Get him back to 100% as there are still plenty of games left. And Mac Jones is giving them solid starts.

Earlier, on Wednesday, Kyle Shanahan had revealed how the starter was frustrated for missing 4 games. But the coach also stated that he was doing everything right in recovery, and they are hoping to have him back anytime now. But the key here is patience.

They signed a five-year $265 million extension with their starter, showing full trust in his abilities. In 2 games this year, he completed 48 of 73 passes (65.8% completion rate) for 586 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. But the coach also needs to pay attention to his offense while the starting QB is practicing hard.

Their find of the 2024 season, WR Rickey Pearsall, is dealing with a knee injury and did not practice on both days. TE George Kittle also injured his hamstring and has had limited practice until now. So, the race is on for the Sunday game on October 19. Brace yourselves for some hard-hitting action!