The San Francisco 49ers haven’t quite looked the same this season. Seven of their first nine games have come without their franchise quarterback, Brock Purdy. He went down with a nagging turf toe injury. Then Week 4 hit, and so did another setback. Since then, the 49ers’ offense has looked like it’s missing its spark.

Now, Purdy’s recovery continues, but not everyone is on board with how it’s being handled. Hall of Famer Steve Young isn’t one to mince words, and he thinks Purdy needs to take matters into his own hands. In Young’s view, the Niners’ young QB can’t sit back forever waiting for the green light from head coach Kyle Shanahan. He believes Purdy might have to push the issue, even if he’s not “100 percent” yet.

“I think they’re probably saying, look, Brock, until you’re 100%, well, when is that? At some point, Brock, I suspect, would say, hey, enough. I’m playing. And I just, those conversations, I got to believe, if Brock could go out, I think Brock would force it,” Young said. “I think it must be that Brock doesn’t feel like he can. Because to me, if it was me, and I’m watching what’s happening on the field.”

However, Shanahan isn’t staying quiet either. On Wednesday, the coach told reporters that the team plans to give Purdy more first-team reps throughout practice this week. It’s a sign that San Francisco is finally ready to test its quarterback’s limits after weeks of caution.

“Shanahan said the plan this week is to give Purdy more first-team repetitions than he had last week,” 49ers insider Matt Barrows of The Athletic reported. Purdy was officially listed as “limited” in Wednesday’s practice.

Can the 49ers play Brock Purdy?

While the 49ers weigh their quarterback dilemma, Kyle Shanahan is treading carefully with Brock Purdy’s health. The head coach knows how fine that line can be. The San Francisco offense hasn’t looked the same since Purdy went down, and now every decision feels magnified. Shanahan tried to keep things calm, saying he wasn’t sure if Purdy would eventually need surgery, noting, “Not that I’ve been told.”

Meanwhile, outside voices are chiming in too. Dr. Kenneth Jung, a respected foot and ankle surgeon who works with the Rams, explained what the 49ers might be balancing behind closed doors. According to him, San Francisco is likely figuring out when Purdy can take the field without heavy support.

Jung said the Niners are “trying to gauge when Purdy can play without his toe being primarily supported and stabilized by a device such as a steel or carbon-fiber plate,” something the quarterback used in his return against Jacksonville.

That plate might not be gone just yet. Purdy could still need it, along with a specially modified cleat, if his toe isn’t completely healed. But if the tissue has recovered enough, he could move with more control: planting, pushing off, and playing closer to his usual rhythm. The challenge is knowing when that moment arrives.

So now all eyes are on The Bay. The Faithful want answers, Shanahan wants balance, and Purdy just wants to play. Let’s see how the 49ers handle their franchise star.