How long is Brock Purdy out? Toe injury timeline, return date, latest updates on 49ers QB

Brock Purdy returned to the field in Week 4 after a two-week absence, able to throw passes for the San Francisco 49ers in their matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. But for Week 5, it will be Mac Jones under center yet again.

The 49ers' QB1 is set to sit out for "Thursday Night Football" against the Los Angeles Rams, dealing with the same toe injury as before.

Additionally, wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings are now dealing with injuries for Kyle Shanahan's squad, with the "TNF" matchup set to include plenty of backups for the 49ers.

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How long with Purdy be out? Here's the latest on his injury and return timeline.

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What is Brock Purdy's injury?

Purdy missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a turf toe variant that is nagging at him once again. After practicing ahead of Week 4 all three days, he did not carry an injury designation into a matchup with the Jaguars; Shanahan said at the time that Purdy "looked good," while the quarterback said he had been progressing with the injury.

"I really like where I'm at with the progress with it healing up and feeling better and dropping back, throwing," Purdy said, per ESPN. "It's no secret like it's been two-and-a-half weeks or so. And just overall, my toe is healed up. It's gotten better."

Purdy proceeded to play against Jacksonville, throwing for 309 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. However, Shanahan then shared Monday morning, following the loss, that Purdy had called him and said the toe was bothering him again despite it feeling fine during the Week 4 game, per ESPN.

"Hopefully we'll find out more later today, but any time guys are sore and hurting on a Monday, you usually don't stress too much about it," Shanahan said, per ESPN. "But anytime you have a Thursday game, it's a totally different element. So, I'm concerned with anybody who's not totally healthy at this moment, but we'll have to get more information on that later today to really have a clue of what to speculate."

Purdy also spoke about how the toe affected him during Week 4.

"I think just getting back out there and throwing and getting into a rhythm, being down two weeks, coming back and feeling out my body and everything, obviously how my toe feels. Honestly, I don't know the answer to that," Purdy said, per ESPN. "But obviously I'm going to watch this film, look at my mechanics and be real with myself and try to fix that."

The short turnaround to a Thursday game didn't help Purdy's outlook for Week 5, as he continued dealing with soreness from the previous toe ailment. He did not practice any day prior to "Thursday Night Football," leading the 49ers to rule him out for the game.

Purdy did note this week that his toe still felt "a lot better" compared to when it first happened in Week 1.

"I sort of expected [soreness]," Purdy said, per ESPN. "But quick turnaround, Thursday night game and everything, it's tougher. You don't have as many days to get right and heal up and feel better. That's just where we're at."

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How long is Brock Purdy out?

Purdy's official timeline is unknown, outside of the fact that he will not play in Week 5. Mac Jones will once again step in as the 49ers' starting quarterback.

However, part of the reason for Purdy's Week 5 absence was also likely the short turnaround to a Thursday game. While he did not practice during the week, he also wasn't given a long turnaround date from Sunday's game; Purdy's timeline will depend how his toe heals and responds to rest over the next week, but a Week 6 return hasn't been ruled out.

The first indications of Purdy's Week 6 status will come when the 49ers return to practice after their matchup against the Rams. Until then, Jones will be under center for another game.

MORE: Christian McCaffrey's full injury history

49ers QB depth chart

Here's a look at San Francisco's quarterback depth chart.

Purdy is the unquestioned QB1 for Shanahan, fresh off a lucrative extension in the offseason, but injuries have held him to just two games so far in 2025. That's represented opportunities for Jones, a former up-and-coming starter for the New England Patriots, to prove he still belongs in the NFL.

Jones has also been dealing with a PCL sprain in his knee, but it's not an injury that would prevent him from playing. In Purdy's previous two-game absence, Jones totaled 563 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception in two victories over the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals.

While he doesn't offer the same kind of mobility or precision Purdy might, Jones has been effective enough as a fill-in starter. He'll remain in that role against the Rams.

The 49ers also signed Adrian Martinez to their practice squad in August, a 25-year-old quarterback who played at Nebraska and Kansas State in college. Martinez has been the backup to Jones during Purdy's absence.

MORE: A timeline of the 49ers' ongoing injury issues

49ers upcoming schedule

Here's a look at the next four games on the 49ers schedule: