49ers’ Brock Purdy avoids major injury vs. Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy avoided a serious injury during Saturday night’s 13-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, a game that cost San Francisco the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed after the game that Purdy suffered a stinger on the final offensive snap but was cleared and would have returned if the drive had continued, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Purdy has previously dealt with stingers earlier in his career, including episodes two years ago.

The injury scare occurred late in the fourth quarter on a fourth-and-6 play with under two minutes remaining. Purdy released an incomplete pass as Seattle linebacker Derick Hall and defensive lineman Leonard Williams hit him at the same time. He remained on the turf briefly in visible discomfort before walking off the field under his own power and heading to the medical tent. Earlier in the game, Purdy had also cut his throwing-hand thumb, which was visibly bleeding after it struck Byron Murphy’s helmet on a pass attempt.

The Seahawks’ defense consistently disrupted Purdy. He was sacked three times, hit three additional times, and pressured on 11 dropbacks according to Pro Football Focus, with ESPN tracking pressure on 12 of his 32 dropbacks, the highest total he faced in a game this season. The absence of left tackle Trent Williams, who was inactive with a hamstring injury, only made things more difficult.

The 49ers’ high-powered offense had an off night, finishing with just 173 total yards and nine first downs. Purdy went 19-for-27 for 127 yards with one interception, the first time this season he didn’t throw a touchdown. He added 21 rushing yards on two carries. His passer rating of 64.9 was his second-lowest of the year. Running back Christian McCaffrey gained just 23 rushing yards and 34 receiving yards on six catches, and San Francisco ran for only 53 yards as a team.

Seattle, meanwhile, controlled possession for more than 37 minutes and amassed 361 total yards, including 180 on the ground. Quarterback Sam Darnold completed 20 of 26 passes for 198 yards.

Including playoffs since 2017, the 49ers are now 1-38 under Shanahan when behind by seven or more points entering the fourth quarter. They are 0-47 when trailing by at least 10 points in the final period over that span.

With so many injuries on San Francisco’s roster, Purdy’s health is more important than ever. Linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) and defensive end Nick Bosa (knee) previously suffered season-ending injuries, while Williams and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee and ankle) didn’t suit up for the Week 18 contest. Shanahan said Purdy, Williams, and Pearsall are all expected to be available for the playoff opener.

The loss dropped the 49ers to 12-5 and eliminated their chance at home-field advantage. Meanwhile, the Seahawks improved to 14-3 and secured the NFC West crown.