San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is day-to-day due to back soreness, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. The 24-year-old played the entire game in Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, throwing for 292 yards and three touchdowns. An MRI on Monday came back "mostly clean," and Purdy's participation in practice this week is expected to be limited, but there is no serious injury.
The 24-year-old played the entire game Sunday in a 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reports Purdy's MRI on Monday came back "mostly clean," and he believes the QB's participation in practice this week will likely be limited, but there is no major issue.
Niners' Quarterback Purdy Day-to-Day with Back Soreness
The Niners have had their fair share of injuries to star players to start the season, including Purdy, running back Christian McCaffrey, wideout Deebo Samuel, and tight end George Kittle. McCaffrey, who is on injured reserve, saw a specialist in Germany about his Achilles tendinitis, according to Shanahan.
Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave suffered a partial triceps tear Sunday and will likely miss the rest of the season. Shanahan said Hargrave will need surgery and will be out several months. He left open the possibility that Hargrave could return if the 49ers advanced deep into the playoffs, but the team is planning on going ahead without Hargrave the rest of the way.
"It's a big one," Shanahan said Monday. "I thought he had his best game yesterday. I thought he was a huge factor, really affected the quarterback in that game. It's a big loss. He's one of our better players. He was definitely going in the right direction and was going to have a big year."
Injuries have certainly hindered the Niners, who sit at 1-2 to begin the season. But former NFL QB Matt Hasselbeck still feels Purdy can lead the team, recently calling him "an absolute baller" during an appearance on FS1's "The Herd with Colin Cowherd."
Purdy went 22-for-30 on Sunday with 292 passing yards, finishing the day with three touchdowns, 41 rushing yards, and a 137.0 passer rating.
The Niners will next face the New England Patriots on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In addition to Purdy's back soreness, the Niners are also dealing with injuries to several other key players. McCaffrey is on injured reserve with a calf injury, Samuel is day-to-day with a knee injury, and Kittle is day-to-day with a groin injury.
Despite the injuries, Shanahan is confident that the Niners can still be a competitive team this season. "We've got a lot of guys that can make plays," Shanahan said. "We've just got to find a way to get them the ball and let them do what they do best."
The Niners will need to find a way to win without Hargrave, who was one of their best defensive players. The team is hoping that Arik Armstead and Kevin Givens can step up and fill the void left by Hargrave.
The Niners will face a tough test in their next game against the Patriots, who are 1-2 this season. The Patriots have a strong defense led by Matthew Judon and J.C. Jackson. The Niners will need to play their best game of the season to beat the Patriots.
