The San Francisco 49ers kicked off their season with a win over the Seattle Seahawks, but they lost George Kittle and Brock Purdy to injuries.
Kittle has been placed on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury. The six-time Pro Bowler is coming off a season where he hauled in 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns, so his absence will certainly impact the offense. To make matters worse, the 49ers might not have their starting quarterback for a while.
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Despite leading the 49ers on a game-winning drive this past Sunday, Purdy suffered multiple injuries. For starters, he hurt his left shoulder in the first half on an incomplete pass to Ricky Pearsall. “Mr. Irrelevant” also suffered a toe injury against the Seahawks. That seems to be the bigger concern right now.
On Wednesday afternoon, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan provided an update on Purdy’s availability for Week 2. He said his quarterback is a “long shot” to suit up for this weekend’s game against the New Orleans Saints.
Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts after the game against the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Shanahan added that Purdy could be dealing with a multi-week injury. That’d be a brutal blow for the 49ers.
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Since becoming the starting quarterback for the 49ers in 2022, Purdy has completed 67.8% of his career passes for 9,795 yards with 66 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.
What’s the plan at QB?
With Purdy most likely sidelined for Week 2, the 49ers will need Mac Jones to step up. San Francisco signed him to a two-year deal worth $7 million this past offseason.
Jones, a former first-round pick from Alabama, spent the 2024 season as Trevor Lawrence’s backup in Jacksonville. He completed 65.3% of his passes for 1,672 yards with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
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If the 49ers get respectable play out of Jones, they could hold the fort down during Purdy’s absence. However, their schedule will get pretty rough over the next few games.
After this Sunday’s showdown with the Saints is over, the 49ers will have to take on the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 10, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.