hThe 2025 season may have taken the shape of the San Francisco 49ers’ worst nightmare. They haven’t even fully recovered from last season’s injury woes, and the dark clouds appear to loom once again. This time, it’s eating away at their most crucial position, the quarterback. The whispers ultimately were true: San Francisco has lost their starting QB, Brock Purdy, to a toe injury.

“We’ll see how the toe heals. It’s kind of week-to-week right now. But he’s getting better,” said head coach Kyle Shanahan on Purdy’s update. These were his words for Week 3. So, Week 2? It’s a definite No. He had confirmed the quarterback’s unavailability for the upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday. But the official word from the team came on Friday. The depth chart listed Purdy; however, it named Mac Jones instead. 

When did Brock Purdy injure his toe?

First things first, when did Purdy injure his toe? It happened in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. He went down in the second quarter after his foot got pinned into the turf on a tackle by safety Julian Love to close out a 7-yard run. He was back up on his feet, jogged to the huddle, and he still stayed for the entire game (two more quarters) for a 17-13 victory. 

Purdy wasn’t even seen hobbling when entering the locker room, so many thought it was not very serious. But it turned out to be the opposite. A knee and foot surgeon, Dr. Kenneth Jung, revealed that Mr. Irrelevant’s injury is quite significant: a turf toe variant. But things could have been worse for him, however, since he has not been seen wearing those walking boots, which is evidence enough to suggest that things can still be controlled. “If he’s wearing sneakers, that’s a good sign. That would seem to suggest a lower-grade sprain than an injury where things are totally disrupted,” said Jung, giving the Niners a sign of relief. 

Is Brock Purdy playing against the Saints?

In the simplest way, NO. On Wednesday only, Shanahan labeled Purdy’s return for Week 2 a “long shot,” which became vivid with his non-participation in the practice. Things could still be managed if it were only one week, but Purdy’s availability for Week 3 is also uncertain. “There’s still a chance he could miss next game,” said Shanahan on Thursday during his appearance on KNBR in S.F.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reiterated it in a recent X post, writing, “49ers are not optimistic Brock Purdy will return from his toe injury for a Week 3 matchup vs. Arizona.” Though it appears tough, it’s not completely out of the question. It depends on Purdy’s recovery, which is likely, as his side ligaments of the toe haven’t been stressed and pounded much. 

Brock Purdy return timeline

Despite all the updates, the return date of the Pro Bowler quarterback is yet to be revealed. But if we take analyst Deepak Chona’s words for it, Purdy’s not in the lineup before four weeks. “Placing a metal support in the shoe can help, but the key limitation may be Purdy’s push-off strength to drive the ball forward (esp on his right foot),” he reported in an X post. This is something that Dr. Jung also emphaized, predicting a 2-5 week timeline for return. 

The fact that the signal-caller didn’t practice in any capacity for Week 2 ensured his position on the Injured Reserve. To even consider his name on the depth chart, he at least needs to participate in a limited capacity. It all depends on how quickly his toe heals. If he’s medically approved in two weeks, he will likely start against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4. But if it gets stretched to five weeks, he wouldn’t be back until Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Who is replacing Brock Purdy until he returns?

It has been in conversation for a while. The backup quarterback, Mac Jones, will be filling Purdy’s shoes against the Saints. He’s coming off a disappointing run with the Jaguars, recording 1,672 yards, eight touchdown passes, eight interceptions, and a poor passer rating of 65.3%. What’s even worse is that Jones would be without some of the key weapons, including George Kittle, who is listed on IR with a hamstring injury. Trent Williams’ availability is also questionable for the game, as he too missed Wednesday’s practice, followed by Thursday. He appeared in Friday’s practice but with limited participation. 

Now, making Jones’ starter created another problem: the absence of a backup quarterback. That’s why the Niners promoted Adrian Martinez from the practice squad to the active roster, so god forbid if Jones went down too, Martinez will be there to take over. After him, there are no available names, as Kurtis Rourke is out with a non-football injury.