Brock Purdy’s Toe Injury Deepens 49ers’ Quarterback Turmoil: Will Mac Jones Seize the Spotlight Against Buccaneers?

Well, here we go again—another twist in the 49ers’ quarterback saga that’s keeping fans and fantasy managers alike on the edge of their seats. Kyle Shanahan dropped some cautious optimism this Wednesday, letting us know that Brock Purdy is “progressing,” though the guy hasn’t quite hit the practice field due to that pesky toe injury that’s already benched him for three games. Meanwhile, Mac Jones, the man filling in, is gearing up for what looks like his fourth consecutive start as San Francisco gears up to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s a classic NFL drama, isn’t it? Mac’s dealing with his own ailments—a sore left knee, an oblique issue—but that hasn’t stopped him from steering the team to an undefeated streak in the NFC West. And if the stars don’t align and both quarterbacks are sidelined? Enter Adrian Martinez, the practice squad warrior with a unique path from undrafted hopeful to potential starter. Shanahan’s cautious but ready to adapt, and honestly, that’s the kind of unpredictable thrill that makes following this team so compelling right now. LEARN MORE.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday that quarterback Brock Purdy is “progressing” and that he hasn’t thought about placing the fourth-year quarterback on injured reserve.

Purdy, though, didn’t practice Wednesday and is still nursing a toe injury that’s kept him out of three games this season. Mac Jones appears to be in line for his fourth start with the 49ers, with a Week 6 road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers approaching.

Jones, who is battling injury himself, has gone 3-0 in Purdy’s place, most recently throwing for 342 yards and two touchdowns with a depleted supporting cast in a 26-23 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams that improved San Francisco’s NFC West record to 3-0 on the year.

Jones, who valiantly finished the Thursday night game in Inglewood despite being clearly banged up, is dealing with a left knee issue as well as an oblique injury, according to Shanahan.

Jones was limited in practice Wednesday, per the team’s injury report.

A Pro Bowler in his rookie season with the New England Patriots, Jones has rediscovered success in San Francisco, where he’s thrived in Shanahan’s quarterback-friendly system. Jones has posted a 6:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio while completing 66.7% of his passes.

If Purdy and Jones somehow can’t go Sunday, Adrian Martinez would be under center. Martinez played at Nebraska and Kansas State before going undrafted in 2023 and then becoming the MVP of the UFL — in addition to winning the league — in 2024. During the 2024 NFL season, he spent time with the New York Jets.

The 49ers signed Martinez to their practice squad this summer and promoted him to their active roster ahead of last week’s game.

He has yet to take a regular-season snap, except he was nearly called to action when Jones sustained another hit late in the back-and-forth Week 5 showdown with the Rams.

“Obviously a guy who hasn’t been in your system very long and hasn’t gotten a lot of experience very long, you want to be as careful as you can,” Shanahan said, via ESPN. “But when you’re in a 20-20 game or whatever it was at the time someone is taking over, you’re going to do what you got to do. You get in certain situations, and you’ve got to find out.”