Injuries hit the San Francisco 49ers like a relentless storm just a week into the 2025 season. Key players, starting quarterback Brock Purdy, star tight end George Kittle, and others, were sidelined right after the nail-biting Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks. With 17 players already nursing injuries, the team’s Super Bowl hopes immediately got a massive cloud over them.

Injuries Brock Purdy picked up in that Week 1 game: a variant of turf toe alongside a sore left shoulder. So, long story short, when your starting QB suffers in the first game of the season, there’s no sugarcoating the pain. The team, led by head coach Kyle Shanahan, mentioned that it will be a “long shot” that Purdy plays against the Saints on Sunday. The usually durable 25-year-old had to fight through the pain during the game, throwing for 277 yards and two touchdowns despite his injuries. It’s rare to see Purdy sidelined, but this time it looks like he’ll be off the field for a while.

Niners GM John Lynch provided a key update on Purdy’s status, sharing, “I talked to our doctor, who’s the preeminent foot and ankle specialist in the NFL… What we’re dealing with is kind of a week-to-week thing. He’s doing everything he can to get back out there as soon as possible.” Two to five weeks is the expected downtime, though it’s not a fixed timetable. That “variant of turf toe” can be tricky, especially with a non-throwing shoulder issue also in the mix.

So, the 49ers brace for a minimum of a few weeks without their franchise QB. The backup, Mac Jones, a former first-round pick and ex-New England Patriots starter, steps in with all eyes on him. Mac & Cheese has four years of NFL experience. He started seven games for the Jacksonville Jaguars last season, going 2-5 with 1,672 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and interceptions.

Before that, Jones spent three seasons with the Patriots, where he made a strong rookie impact in 2021, earning a Pro Bowl nod while throwing for 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He even helped New England to a 10-7 record and a playoff spot. The team surely hopes his skill set fits the Shanahan offense well enough to keep the ship steady amid this storm.

Meanwhile, the injury saga doesn’t stop there. Kittle, arguably the best tight end in the league and Brock Purdy’s favorite target, landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, facing at least four weeks on the sidelines. The 49ers hope backup tight ends Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges, plus veteran fullback and nine-time Pro Bowler Kyle Juszczyk (who’s been splitting snaps as an inline tight end), can patch the gap temporarily. But the shocking part is that the Niners are actively searching for a new quarterback and tight end because of the injuries.

Kyle Shanahan Hunts QB amid Brock Purdy’s injury

Shanahan also confirmed that they are “likely to” pursue options at tight end following Kittle’s placement on injured reserve. The priority is locking down a tight end first, but the quarterback spot is, of course, under intense scrutiny. Shanahan admitted uncertainty about roster space but insisted they want to add reinforcements at both positions this week.

The 49ers recently worked out veteran Mike White, a journeyman backup, which hints they could bring him in as another option behind Jones. The team’s plan is to roll with Jones as the Week 2 starter against a tough New Orleans defense while they sort out the damaged depth chart. If Jones can handle the pressure, the patchwork receiving corps could hold its own; if not, expect a scramble to shore up the QB spot even further.

Shanahan and Lynch have built through careful extensions of their core stars in recent years, but the brutal start to 2025 is a frustrating reminder that even the best-laid plans can get bent by injuries. But their proactive approach highlights the urgent push to reinforce critical positions before the season progresses further. Purdy’s injury timeline is speculative at the moment, keeping the team’s quarterback situation fluid as they evaluate available talent.