Purdy injured his toe during the 49ers' Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks, forcing him to miss last weekend's matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Although the quarterback has been a limited participant in practice this week, signs point to Mac Jones making his second consecutive start under center for San Francisco.
Shanahan praised Purdy's recovery progress but tempered expectations.
"I thought he had a good week," Shanahan said. "Hopefully, we can get him up for the game. ... I think it's highly unlikely that he'll start, but just trying to see where he's at to see if he could be a two or an emergency three."
The 49ers' priority is ensuring Purdy's injury doesn't worsen, meaning a final decision likely won't come until the weekend.
"Probably won't know for sure until Sunday on that, but that's why I think it's highly unlikely he'd be out there as a starter," Shanahan explained.
Protecting Purdy for the long term remains the organization's focus. Shanahan emphasized that the 25-year-old quarterback is pushing hard to return but is also realistic about his condition.
"Brock pushes himself to go as hard as anyone I've been around, but he's very level-headed in terms of being realistic," Shanahan noted. "And he doesn't just talk with his heart. He works with his heart, but he talks with his mind, and lets us really know what the chances are of it. And if you can't do it, he'll let you know."
Shanahan added, "He'll be honest all the way up to kickoff."
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Brock Purdy opens up on Kyle Shanahan's impact on his career
The San Francisco 49ers are 4-0 after a gritty 24-14 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon. While the offense didn't run smoothly in all four quarters, it stepped up when it mattered most to put the visiting Broncos away. Quarterback Brock Purdy has been playing at... -
49ers' Kyle Shanahan makes strong comparison for Brock Purdy
It's hard to dismiss what San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is accomplishing this season. Despite the injuries continuing to plague the roster, Purdy is playing at a very high level, with some suggesting the fifth-year quarterback may even be playing at an MVP... -
Kyle Shanahan shares where Brock Purdy has grown most as 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy has already accomplished quite a bit in his young NFL career. Since taking over as the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback late in the 2022 season, Purdy has consistently played at a high level. He's set 49ers passing records, made the Pro Bowl, and came... -
49ers' Kyle Shanahan reveals unexpected reason why he called hook-and-lateral against Cardinals
Kyle Shanahan didn't have some elaborate explanation for the San Francisco 49ers' hook-and-lateral in the first quarter of last Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. In fact, even though the play turned into a long Deebo Samuel touchdown, the reason Shanahan called the...