An injury-plagued season for the San Francisco 49ers continued with just a game remaining on the schedule.
Niners quarterback Brock Purdy injured his right elbow with less than two minutes remaining in the team's 40-34 loss Monday night against the Detroit Lions.
Purdy said his elbow was "on fire," and will have an MRI on Tuesday, though initial tests on his UCL were OK.
San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan said he believes it's some "nerve stuff" but had little detail to provide with Purdy's status for the team's season finale against the Arizona Cardinals uncertain.
Purdy was sacked by Lions safety Brian Branch with 1:36 to play in the game and quickly trotted to the sideline. He was replaced by Joshua Dobbs, who finished the game. Purdy threw the ball a few times on the sideline but quickly shook his head to let the coaching staff know he couldn't return and appeared emotional in the moment.
It's especially concerning because Purdy memorably tore his UCL in the 2022 NFC Championship Game. Purdy went on to undergo surgery and a long offseason rehab.
"You think of elbow injury from a couple years ago, but talking to doctors, he just got hit in the right spot," Shanahan said.
"Hopefully it'll be alright."
Purdy, who will entering the final season of his rookie contract in 2025 and is eligable to get a sizable extension, completed 27 of 35 passes for a season-high 377 yards, three touchdowns and two costly second-half interceptions.
"It seemed like he had a pretty good night except for those two picks," Shanahan said.
Purdy missed a game earlier this season due to a shoulder injury, becoming one of a galaxy of San Francisco star players to have missed games this year. That includes Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, Trent Williams and many, many more.
While the Niners have been eliminated from playoff contention, Purdy's injury serves as more than just a symbol of the season's doldrums, as it beckons concern for the 25-year-old entering a most pivotal offseason.
