SANTA CLARA — The 49ers may be leaning toward Mac Jones to make a second consecutive start this weekend, but weren’t ready to declare their intentions on Thursday.
Starting quarterback Brock Purdy was on the field during the media window along with Jones and No. 3 quarterback Adrian Martinez. The 49ers even had Purdy make his scheduled appearance with the media following practice.
“It’s been a day-to-day thing this week with my foot and toe. I’m happy with the progress I’m making and there’s nothing really other than that,” Purdy said.
However, Jones took the podium as well, meaning Purdy’s right turf toe might not be ready for the 49ers’ home opener against the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at Levi’s Stadium.
Told by tackle Trent Williams to get out and “hoop” in last weekend’s 26-21 win over New Orleans, Jones was asked if he’d be hooping against Arizona.
“Hopefully,” Jones said. “As a backup you’re not going to be out there for the first snap, and as a starter you are.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t speak with the press Thursday. The 49ers will have an injury report Friday with a designation that will likely list Purdy as “questionable” and Shanahan didn’t rule out the starter being the backup for a week as he heals but is still healthy enough to step in for Jones if something goes awry.
In his weekly appearance on the 49ers’ flagship KNBR, 49ers general manager John Lynch was keeping it close to the vest for two reasons. One, Purdy still has more rehab time and could possibly return after missing a single game in New Orleans. Two, there’s no reason to disclose the 49ers’ intentions to the Cardinals if it’s not necessary.
“I can tell you it was encouraging to see him practice,” Lynch said Thursday about Purdy’s limited session the previous day. “That means he got out there and had some activity. I think everyone saw that. The key now is how does he respond to that? We’ll find out later if and see if he can get back out there. Mac is preparing and will be ready . . . we’ll make an organizational decision on where Brock’s at later in the week.”
As with any injury, there are degrees of severity depending on the extent of the trauma. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow had a case of turf toe so severe he’ll have surgery and miss three months of the season. Purdy has been walking without a limp and hasn’t been seen wearing the protective boot that is often part of the recovery process.
Coaches tend to break down injuries into “either he’s ready or he’s not” in terms of whether an athlete will play. But there are 15 games remaining and it’s not that simple.
The 49ers host Jacksonville on Sept. 28, and then visit the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night, Oct. 2.
Although Purdy and Jones operate the same offensive system with little change in play calling and design, at least one Arizona player was willing to state a preference as to which one he’d rather see.
“Do you want a truthful answer?” Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell said in an interview on NFL.com. “The truthful answer is I’d much rather play against Mac Jones. It’s not a shot because Mac is a first-round talent. He just hasn’t been in that offense a long time… With Brock, he’s a master of that offense. He can make it go.”
In Week 1, Purdy was 26-for-35 for 277 yards with two interceptions and two touchdowns, including the game winner on a 4-yard pass to tight end Jake Tonges. Against New Orleans, Jones was 26 of 39 for 279 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Lynch compared Jones’ play to that of Sam Darnold, who played for the 49ers in 2023 as a backup to Purdy but didn’t get extensive time until the season finale and the 49ers had wrapped up the NFC West and the No. 1 seed.
“Maybe it hasn’t gone the way they wanted elsewhere, but maybe if we put them in our situation and pour into them, maybe we can get all that talent that we see out of them,” Lynch said.
On the first of his weekly appearances, Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young is of the belief that the 49ers and Shanahan are where quarterbacks go to get well.
“Mac gets the benefit of being here and seeing how good he can get,” Young said. “Because that’s the promise. If you come here, we’ll see how good you are. And he’s willing to take that chance, so good for him.
Practice update
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Those who were suited up and appeared to be practicing after sitting out Wednesday were running back Christian McCaffrey (calf/vet day), defensive end Nick Bosa (vet day) and defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos (knee).
Both fullback Kyle Juszczyk and cornerback/special teamer Siran Neal are in the concussion protocol and were wearing blue no-contact jerseys for the padded session. Left tackle Trent Williams was suited up but working on the side with a member of the training staff rather than go through drills with the rest of the line. Backup left tackle Spencer Burford (knee) was spotted in the field house as practice began.
49ers mourn Jim Fahnhorst
Linebacker Jim Fahnhorst, who played for three 49ers championship teams in a seven-year career from 1984-90, died Wednesday at age 66.
Fahnhorst is the younger brother of Keith Fahnhorst, a 49ers’ offensive tackle from 1974-87.
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