The San Francisco 49ers simply can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries. With key pieces on both sides of the ball already out for extended periods, the team announced on Wednesday that Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings will all miss Thursday’s game in Los Angeles.
49ers Will Be Without Purdy, Pearsall, & Others On Thursday
The 49ers entered the season with high hopes and expectations. New contracts were given to guys like Purdy and tight end George Kittle over the summer, and the team had the softest schedule that the NFL has seen in some time. They were the favorites to win the NFC West, and had an over/under win total of 10.5, one of the highest figures of any team in the league.
Brock Purdy, Jauan Jennings, and Ricky Pearsall ruled out vs. Rams.@DignityHealth Practice Report: https://t.co/HOK3UBDKNf pic.twitter.com/ETdIxY2S67
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 1, 2025
But it was apparent early on that injuries would be an issue. With star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk still recovering from last year’s ACL and MCL tears, the team was already shorthanded during training camp. More injuries popped up throughout the preseason, but there was hope that San Francisco would be able to weather the storm.
In the opening game of the season, Kittle went down with a hamstring injury and was placed on injured reserve. Purdy suffered a toe injury in the same game, and missed Weeks 2 and 3. Then, superstar pass rusher Nick Bosa tore his ACL for the second time in five years, dealing a huge blow to the 49ers and their defense.
Injury Bug Biting At The Worst Time For San Francisco
Purdy returned for Week 4’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but had a handful of mistakes that proved crucial in San Francisco’s loss. There were questions about whether the team rushed him back into action too quickly, and it was reported after the game that he was still dealing with some soreness in the injured toe.
With a quick turnaround to play a Thursday night game on the road, Purdy won’t have time to recover, and Mac Jones will get his third start of the season against the Rams.
Mac Jones will start against the Rams on TNF pic.twitter.com/FcZmXzjtlW
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) October 1, 2025
While much of their schedule is against lesser opponents, the injury bug couldn’t have come at a worse time. Four of the team’s next five games are on the road, including two cross-country trips.
After the 10-day break following Thursday night’s game, they’ll be in Tampa Bay to take on the 3-1 Buccaneers, and then will come home for a Sunday Night Football game against the Atlanta Falcons. They’ll hit the road again the week after that, with dates against the Houston Texans and New York Giants in Weeks 8 and 9.
After the injury news was released on Wednesday, the betting line ballooned to 7.5 points in favor of the Rams.
