Brock Purdy, sidelined since Week 4 with a toe injury initially suffered in Week 1, is ramping up his workload and expected to return as the 49ers’ starting quarterback for Sunday’s contest against the Arizona Cardinals, head coach Kyle Shanahan noted. Though Purdy is still officially listed as a limited participant in practice, Shanahan emphasized this week’s sessions will be “aggressive,” signaling that Purdy is now being treated as a player who could return rather than one being eased in.
In Purdy’s absence, backup quarterback Mac Jones has started six games and guided the 49ers to a 6-4 record, posting strong passing metrics (such as a ~69.6% completion rate and 268.9 yards per game) during that span. Despite Jones’ solid performance, Shanahan reaffirmed that the starting role remains Purdy’s when healthy, though he also cautioned that Purdy is unlikely to be “fully” healed this season and will have to manage the toe issue going forward.
The 49ers are also optimistic about having wide receiver Ricky Pearsall back in practice after his knee injury, which would give the offense another boost alongside Purdy’s anticipated return. The team’s clear message is that Purdy isn’t just participating — he’s being prepared to lead the first-team offense again this week and potentially start in Week 11, underscoring the organization’s confidence in his role despite the injury setbacks.
