What Brock Purdy, George Kittle injuries mean for 49ers, NFC West race and 2025 NFL playoff picture
The 49ers stars are set to miss multiple weeks
•
3 min read
Under Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers have tended to either dominate as NFC contenders or succumb to a rash of season-crushing injuries. And the 2025 campaign just might be continuing that trend for the worse.
After a summer littered with questions about the availability of wide receivers like Brandon Aiyuk, who's still recovering from a 2024 knee injury, the 49ers are now set to be without arguably their next two most important players. Quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle both suffered injuries in Week 1's win over the Seattle Seahawks, and both Pro Bowlers are expected to miss multiple weeks of action.
Purdy is on track to be sidelined anywhere from two to five weeks while nursing a variation of turf toe, per NFL Media, while Kittle just landed on injured reserve for a hamstring issue, meaning he's guaranteed to miss at least four games. Fellow starters like running back Christian McCaffrey and receiver Jauan Jennings are also banged up, though they're more likely to suit up for the club's upcoming Week 2 matchup with the New Orleans Saints.
What, exactly, does the loss of Purdy and Kittle mean for the 49ers, the NFC West and the NFL at large? Here are three key takeaways from the latest medical challenges in San Francisco:
The NFC West is truly up for the taking
Obviously this was true even before Purdy and Kittle went down, with plenty expecting a tight race between the 49ers and their three rivals. But now it's especially the case. Start with the fact Purdy and Kittle could both be sidelined for two NFC West matchups over the next four weeks:
The Los Angeles game is doubly challenging, given it also falls on a short week, sending the 49ers on the road for a Thursday night matchup. There's a possibility Purdy could be back for the latter contest, which falls four weeks after the quarterback suffered his toe injury, but it also seems just as likely San Francisco would prefer to give Purdy additional rest rather than rush him back on an abbreviated game-week schedule.
That opens the door wide for a team like Arizona or Los Angeles to gain some ground atop the standings. It also gives some leeway to the Seattle Seahawks (0-1), who might not be out of the mix even if they can't top the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.
This could be Mac Jones' best (and last) chance
Four years ago, Jones was rumored to be the apple of Kyle Shanahan's eye as a 2021 draft prospect. Now the former Alabama standout will likely get at least a few chances to prove he was always worthy of the 49ers' investment. Unfortunately those chances will also come with a limited lineup lacking healthy playmakers. At least stylistically, though, Jones fits well as a Shanahan stand-in, thriving most as a play-within-the-system point guard.
Prisco's Week 2 NFL picks: Underdog Chiefs get revenge vs. Eagles, Aaron Rodgers powers Steelers again
Pete Prisco
Again, these aren't ideal circumstances, but we've seen reclamation-project 49ers backups parlay Shanahan mentorship into bigger gigs before; look no further than Sam Darnold, who sat behind Purdy in 2023, only to reemerge as a starter for the Minnesota Vikings a year later. This could be Jones' best shot at reclaiming a future No. 1 role after he fizzled out as the New England Patriots' top dog. It could also be his last, as he went just 2-5 in place of an injured Trevor Lawrence while serving as the Jacksonville Jaguars' backup last season.
Purdy will be under immense pressure to finish strong
Assuming Purdy eventually reclaims his job, whether in two weeks or five, the young quarterback is now set to face even more heat as the 49ers' signal-caller. Some were skeptical about San Francisco doling out a lucrative contract extension to Purdy this offseason, pointing to the former seventh-round pick's uneven 2024 season, in which he forced more throws while playing from behind. Now, in all likelihood, Purdy will be tasked with restoring the 49ers' playoff hopes, perhaps without all his typical weapons, as soon as he's back under center.
To be clear, Purdy has proven the doubters wrong before. He's still 24-13 as a starter for Shanahan, with another four wins in the postseason. For the majority of his improbable NFL career, the former Mr. Irrelevant has been one of the league's most efficient distributors of the football. The concern is, he hasn't been at his peak for a little while now, ultimately succumbing to San Francisco's fragile setup in 2024. And now he's facing his most significant injury since an elbow issue robbed him of a potential Super Bowl push as a rookie. The climb will be uphill.
