The San Francisco 49ers returned to the practice field Thursday as they prepare for their NFC West matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Quarterback Brock Purdy participated for the second consecutive day, a promising sign as he recovers from a toe injury.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy (toe) is again participating in early open portion of Thursday's practice. We'll learn extent of that participation later. pic.twitter.com/mheApzch4x
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 18, 2025
Purdy suffered the injury in Week 1, forcing him to miss last weekend's game against the New Orleans Saints. Veteran quarterback Mac Jones started in his place and is in line to start again on Sunday if Purdy is unable to suit up.
"I can tell you that it was encouraging to see him practice," general manager John Lynch said Thursday morning during his weekly radio interview. "He was limited yesterday, [which] means he got out there and he had some activity. I think everyone saw that. The key now is how does he respond to that? So we'll find that out here later today, see if he can get back out there."
Lynch praised Purdy's commitment to his recovery, adding, "And he's doing a heck of a job attacking the rehab every way that he can, spending countless hours, and doing a really good job with it, as is our training staff. And so, we'll see where that goes as the week develops."
Early projections suggested Purdy might miss two to five weeks, but Lynch has emphasized the quarterback remains week-to-week. With Purdy back on the practice field, the possibility of him playing in Week 3 against Arizona remains on the table—for now.
The 49ers will release their final injury report on Friday afternoon, which will clarify Purdy's official game status and provide updates on other injured players.