SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Brock Purdy, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has been participating minimally in practice this week due to discomfort in his throwing shoulder, which raises uncertainty about his availability for the upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Purdy’s injury occurred during last week’s defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, leading him to throw only a limited number of passes during the media-accessible portions of practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
The team has opted to delay Purdy’s regular press conference until Friday as they continue to evaluate his condition and his potential to play this weekend.
“Today he was still limited; he didn’t do as much yesterday but did a bit more today,” coach Kyle Shanahan noted in his weekly radio interview with KNBR. “He went outside for a short time but then had to go back in for rest about halfway through. We’re hopeful he’ll feel much better by Sunday.”
Since becoming the starting quarterback for the 49ers in December 2021, Purdy has not missed a start due to injury. His absence on Sunday would be a significant setback for the team’s chances at the playoffs.
The 49ers (5-5) currently find themselves in a three-way tie for the second place in the NFC West, trailing first-place Arizona by one game. They have little room for error if they aim to return to the postseason after reaching the Super Bowl the previous year.
This season, Purdy has displayed solid performance with a completion rate of 66%, amassing 2,613 yards, 13 touchdown passes, and eight interceptions, yielding a passer rating of 95.9, which has decreased from his impressive league-leading 113 in 2023.
In addition to Purdy, the 49ers are grappling with other significant injuries. All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams has not practiced for two consecutive days due to an ankle issue. He had also missed the entirety of practice the previous week but still played in the matchup against Seattle.
Defensive star Nick Bosa exited the game against the Seahawks in the second half due to a left hip and oblique injury and has not participated in practice this week, having previously dealt with injuries to his right hip and oblique.
Coach Shanahan indicated that both Williams and Bosa do not necessarily need to practice this week to be eligible for Sunday’s game.
Running back Christian McCaffrey, who is managing Achilles tendinitis, returned to practice on Thursday after taking a rest day on Wednesday. Tight end George Kittle has also practiced for the second day in a row and is set to play this week, having missed the Seattle game due to a hamstring issue.
Receiver Jacob Cowing was unable to practice a day after being limited due to being in concussion protocol.
The team’s injury report is expected to be released on Friday, which will provide more insight into the players’ statuses as they prepare for their critical game against the Packers.