The San Francisco 49ers improved to 2-0 in Week 2, and they did it with quarterback Brock Purdy on the sidelines. Purdy was injured in the 49ers' season-opening win over the Seattle Seahawks, and his timeline was uncertain as he recovered from a variant of turf toe.
With reports that Purdy could miss up to five weeks from the injury, 49ers fans were rightfully nervous as to when their franchise quarterback would return. But head coach Kyle Shanahan offered positive news via ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Purdy could come back as soon as Sunday’s matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
Albert Breer Reveals Encouraging Timeline for Brock Purdy’s Return
Purdy’s timeline has been a mystery since he went down in Seattle. While the original timeline was dubious, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer said on "The Rich Eisen Show" that Purdy could return within two to three weeks, making his absence more of a short-term injury.
“I was told two to three weeks,” Breer told Eisen. “Maybe it’s one of those deals where he gets back out there on the practice field and does light work at the end of the week. But my sense is that they want to sit him out at least two weeks, and maybe the third week.”
Breer also noted that this is “the less serious version” of the injury that Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow suffered in Week 2, which will sideline him for three months, even adding that Purdy was “going to be okay.”
For what it’s worth, Shanahan added that Purdy would practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday, and his involvement if he does play could be as the emergency quarterback behind Mac Jones.
Jones did an admirable job filling in for Purdy in last week’s win over the New Orleans Saints, throwing for 279 yards and three touchdowns. That performance, combined with a visit by the 1-1 Cardinals, could convince the 49ers to give Purdy another week to heal up and possibly hold him out of the Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That timeline would allow Purdy to return to the 49ers for a divisional matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5, but it also should be taken with a grain of salt from a head coach whose famous quote reminds us that we could all die tomorrow.
Either way, these developments show Purdy likely dodged a serious bullet with the injury and could lead to a return to the 49ers as soon as this weekend.