11/13/25 05:58:00
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11/13 17:56 CST Brock Purdy returns to 49ers' starting lineup after 6-game
absence
Brock Purdy returns to 49ers' starting lineup after 6-game absence
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) --- Quarterback Brock Purdy will return to the
starting lineup for the San Francisco 49ers this week after missing the last
six games with a toe injury.
Purdy made it through the first two days of practice this week without a
setback, leading coach Kyle Shanahan to make the decision to start him against
the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Shanahan told the team's flagship radio station KNBR on Thursday that Purdy
will get the nod this week.
"I feel really good," Purdy said. "I feel healthy. I'm excited to be back and
ready to go and lead the guys, It's been a good week so far. I got a couple
more days obviously. I have to finish up strong."
Purdy missed two games after the initial injury but returned for a Week 4 game
against Jacksonville. He hurt the toe again early in that game, throwing two
interceptions and losing a fumble in a 26-21 loss to the Jaguars.
Purdy said he felt fine going into that game and didn't regret the decision to
play.
"I just unfortunately got caught in a bad position with my toe again and just
reaggravated it," he said. "That's sort of what happened. Looking back at it,
I'm a competitor. I want to go out and lead. I felt good that week to be able
to go out and lead my guys."
Shanahan acknowledges that the team might have rushed Purdy back too soon that
day but feels the situation will be different after he got six weeks off and
has had three weeks of practice to get back near full strength.
Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 draft, helped the 49ers reach the NFC title
game as a rookie when he won his first seven starts before an elbow injury in
the NFC title game loss to Philadelphia. Purdy returned from that major surgery
and played at his highest level the following season, helping the team reach
the Super Bowl and become a finalist for the AP NFL MVP award.
Purdy's production slipped a bit last season as injuries hampered the offense
but he showed enough for San Francisco to reward him with a $265 million,
five-year contract.
Purdy has a 103.7 career passer rating, averaging 8.8 yards per attempt with 68
touchdown passes and 31 interceptions.
He started this season by leading a fourth-quarter comeback in the opener at
Seattle on the injured toe but has only been able to play one game since.
"It's been frustrating," he said. "Going into year four, I wanted to play my
best ball so far in my career. I was really excited about it. I come in, play
Seattle and win on the road and feel really good about the year. Then all of a
sudden I'm dealing with the toe injury and it has been frustrating."
The 49ers have had the luxury of taking their time with Purdy thanks to how
well Mac Jones has played in his place. Jones has gone 5-3 as the starter,
running the offense very efficiently with his 268.9 yards passing per game
ranking second among all qualifiers.
Jones' play has led to some suggestions that the Niners should stick with the
hot hand for now, including from seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady on a
Fox broadcast and from former San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman.
But the 49ers believe Purdy gives them the best chance to win based on how he
has played over his career.
"Any time a backup quarterback comes in and plays good, that's all anyone talks
about," Shanahan said. "I don't think anyone talks about what people have done
in the past. Whether it's Brock or whether it's anybody. That's just how the
world works with media or anybody. So, I don't look too much into that stuff at
all. We all know how good Brock's played in the past. I think he played really
good versus Seattle and I think he struggled versus Jacksonville, which is why
we shouldn't have brought him back then. I know when Brock comes back, he'll
play the same way he always has, like a very high-level quarterback."
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