49ers' Brock Purdy (Shoulder) Out vs. Packers; Brandon Allen to Start
Brock Purdy's shoulder soreness will sideline him for the San Francisco 49ers' critical Week 12 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. In his place, Brandon Allen will take the helm under center.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed hope that Purdy's absence will be limited to just one game.
"I don't want to say there's long-term concern," Shanahan explained. "We got the MRI on Monday, and we thought he just needed some rest. We weren’t really worried about him missing this week. But when he practiced Thursday, it surprised all of us how it felt. So we had to shut him down. The MRI didn’t show anything major, so it should be okay, but based on how it reacted this week, next week is uncertain. We’ll reassess on Monday."
Initially listed as day-to-day, Purdy practiced in a limited capacity early in the week but raised concerns when he left Thursday’s session early for treatment. He also skipped his scheduled media availability, often a sign that a player won’t suit up.
This will mark the first game Purdy has missed due to injury in his career. So far this season, he has completed 66% of his passes for 2,613 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 10 games.
Defensive end Nick Bosa will also be unavailable for San Francisco on Sunday, adding to the team’s challenges against Green Bay.
Allen, who will start in Purdy's place, last started in Week 18 of the 2021 season for the Cincinnati Bengals. He has nine career starts. Shanahan expressed confidence in the veteran backup:
"Brandon is a really good thrower, knows our offense well, and has done a great job since he got here. The team believes in him, and I think he'll give us a good chance to win."
The 49ers and Packers kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.