Brock Purdy returned to Year 5 under center for the 49ers, his first in-game snaps since signing a fresh $265 million deal three months ago. He showed poise against the Raiders by orchestrating a 61-yard field goal drive with sharp throws, including a precise 7-yard pickup to rookie Ricky Pearsall on his first pass of the 2025 preseason. Kyle Shanahan’s side secured a 22-19 win. Yet beneath the clean execution lingers the weight of expectation, for Purdy is tasked not just with steady play but with ensuring San Francisco buries the sting of last year’s collapse and secures the playoff berth. But Shanahan’s recent news might have shaken up his confidence.
Brock Purdy opened his 2025 offensive drive with a confidence-building play after leading the NFL with a 113 passer rating last season. Yet the celebration was cut short when Kyle Shanahan faced reporters with grim injury news. “#49ers OL Dominick Puni will be out ‘a few weeks’ with a possible posterior-cruciate ligament injury,” reported 49ers & NFL News 24/7 via X. Dominick Puni was hurt on the 30-yard field goal drive and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the preseason matchup against the Raiders.
#49ers OL Dominick Puni will be out “a few weeks” with a possible posterior-cruciate ligament injury.
— 49ers & NFL News 24/7 (@49ersSportsTalk) August 16, 2025
The setbacks did not end there. Matt Maiocco added more names to the list, posting on X, “RB Patrick Taylor Jr. sustained a dislocated shoulder and will be out ‘a couple weeks,’ coach Kyle Shanahan said. RB Corey Kiner had, most likely, a high-ankle sprain. He is expected to be out multiple weeks, too.” Corey Kiner, an undrafted rookie, left the game on a cart in the second quarter, further thinning San Francisco’s backfield depth.
Even with a 22-19 preseason win, the injuries overshadowed progress. The problems started before kickoff, with Jauan Jennings slowed by a hip issue. And Brandon Aiyuk? Still far away from the real action. Their injury list has extended so far this training season that their sessions are rumoured to be only 90 minutes long! While the score went their way (this time), the injury sheet tells a different story, and frustration is bubbling.
Is Brock Purdy’s injury frustration going away with the rumoured trade?
Kyle Shanahan finally spoke openly on Monday about Brandon Aiyuk’s recovery. The coach noted Week 6 against the Bucs as the earliest possible return. He admitted that the timeline depends on everything going perfectly, which is far from guaranteed. Aiyuk’s torn ACL and MCL are not healing as quickly as standard medical cases. That reality has left the 49ers‘ offense waiting on a top target.
Brock Purdy shared his frustration in an interview with CBS Sports’ Kwinna Martin. “I mean, obviously, as a quarterback, what matters most is, you know, offseason, OTAs, camp, you know, getting the routes on there, competing against the defense with the guys that, obviously, are going to be throwing the ball to in season. So it can be frustrating, you know, when guys are dealing with, you know, little injuries and things like that.” For Purdy, those spring reps are critical. They create the timing that pays off when the season begins. Without his receivers on the field, Purdy is left adjusting to unfamiliar targets.
With Aiyuk sidelined for such a long time, trade speculation has grown louder. Reports have surfaced that the 49ers could explore deals before the season gains momentum. Sportnaut’s Andrew Buller-Russ floated one scenario that could reshape the roster. He believes the 49ers might pursue a blockbuster deal to land Tyreek Hill.
“After trading Deebo Samuel, the San Francisco 49ers have some question marks at the receiver position. It doesn’t help that Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings are still working their way back from injury. Plus, Jennings has already requested a trade. With Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel hailing from and running a similar system as Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers may be able to entice Miami by offering Aiyuk or Jennings plus draft picks in exchange for Hill,” Buller-Russ wrote. Hill would immediately give Purdy a dynamic primary weapon.
For Hill, leaving Miami offers a bigger role and California’s brighter stage. For San Francisco, it provides a way forward while Aiyuk continues his uncertain recovery. For Purdy? Perhaps a path back to another shot at the Lombardi.
The post Brock Purdy’s Confidence Slowly Fading Away After Kyle Shanahan Delivers 49ers’ Injury Update appeared first on EssentiallySports.
