Purdy looking to heal up before 49ers visit Seattle

Updated Dec. 13, 2022 6:50 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy had little time to celebrate a successful first career start.

Purdy is trying to heal from injuries to his oblique and ribs while preparing for a trip to notoriously tough Seattle on a short week for the San Francisco 49ers.

Purdy got injured on a scramble on the second drive of Sunday's 35-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but was able to stay in the game and threw two TD passes and ran for another score.

Purdy said he was quite sore Monday and is projected to be limited at a light practice on Tuesday.

“I haven’t been out to practice or tried throwing the football or anything yet,” he said. “So it’s been how I feel walking around or trying to do movements in the pool. I can still jog and run and that kind of stuff but I haven’t tried playing football yet."

Coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy was not in danger of making the injury more serious by playing Thursday night, saying it was mostly a matter of dealing with the pain.

Shanahan said he would wait until the day of the game before making a final decision on whether Purdy will be able to get the start, but signs point to Purdy getting the nod.

“We’ll find out as these two days go,” Shanahan said. “We’ll not try to figure that out today or tomorrow. It’ll be Thursday when it’s the best chance to be known.”

Assuming Purdy will start, he will try to build on his dazzling debut start. He became the first rookie in the Super Bowl era to throw at least two TD passes, run for a score and post a passer rating of at least 125 in his first career start.

Purdy showed the ability to get the ball out quickly to his playmakers as well as create big gains when plays broke down, showing impressive confidence for a rookie so overlooked that he wasn't taken until the final pick of the NFL draft.

“Everybody can feed off of that,” tackle Mike McGlinchey said about Purdy's confidence. “I think it’s certainly a big deal. He’s going to continue to get better every time he goes out and plays. He has this opportunity now that he can take and run with it. I’m so excited for him, so excited for the way he’s played, so excited for the things he’s going to help us do.”

The Niners hope Purdy can help them win this week in Seattle to clinch the NFC West title.

San Francisco has lost nine of its last 10 trips to Seattle, with seven of the nine losses coming by double digits. The 49ers' QBs have posted a pedestrian 79.7 passer rating in those games, with the only win coming in the 2019 finale when San Francisco clinched the division.

“I don't think I've ever been anywhere louder than there,” Shanahan said. “I know how their fans are and how the stadium is. You got to be ready for it. You can’t expect to hear, not just at the line of scrimmage but also in the huddle a number of times. It’s a big difference playing there.”

It's a tough spot for Purdy's first road start in the NFL. He said he would draw on his experience in college when he played in loud stadiums in the Big 12.

Purdy said he's been told Seattle is right there with Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City as the most hostile environments in the NFL.

“I’m excited for it," he said. "All these guys have played here a bunch of times. So I’m just hearing them out on what's good or not in terms of communication and operation. We’ll be ready to roll for it.”

NOTES: Shanahan said WR Deebo Samuel would likely miss three weeks with injuries to his knee and ankle. ... DT Hassan Ridgeway (pectoral), DT Kevin Givens (knee), CB Samuel Womack (concussion protocol) and S Tarvarius Moore (knee) did not practice. ... RB Christian McCaffrey (knee), CB Ambry Thomas (ankle), DL Arik Armstead (foot, ankle) and DL Kerry Hyder Jr. (ankle) were all limited. ... The 49ers signed DL Mike Dwumfour to the practice squad and placed CB Dontae Johnson (torn ACL) on the practice squad IR.

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