San Francisco 49ers fans were treated to a concerning injury update regarding quarterback Brock Purdy during the Sunday Night Football broadcast of the team’s game against the Falcons.
The 25-year-old remains sidelined with a toe injury, one that’s kept him out of five games this season through seven weeks, which NBC reporter Melissa Stark briefly talked about during a quick hit as the broadcast returned from commercial break in the second quarter. After describing what exactly “turf toe” is — complete with a 3D model of what that injury looks like — she reported on her conversation with Purdy regarding the injury.
“Brock told me that any movement in the wrong direction could set him back,” Stark said. “He said he is truly day-to-day. There is no timeline for his return. He called this injury, ‘So annoying,’ saying he’s never dealt with something that lingers this long.”
While it’s certainly true that the Niners have not shared a specific timeline for Purdy’s return, this update is a lot more pessimistic than what was previously the most recent news on the quarterback. The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported on Saturday that the team expected Purdy to come back to the field, alongside receiver Ricky Pearsall, for their Week 8 matchup against the Texans. The report did not include any caveats for potential setbacks that Purdy is apparently at constant risk of dealing with.
A quarterback dealing with a nagging injury can be frustrating on its own, but even more annoying is that it’s happening just after Purdy signed a $265 million contract extension this offseason. Of course, with that much money dedicated to a single player, it’s probably best he takes as many games as he needs to return to playing shape.
