Purdy Out; Mac Jones Starts vs Texans

Brock Purdy has been ruled out for the 49ers' Week 8 game at the Houston Texans with a lingering turf-toe injury, marking his fourth straight absence and sixth in seven weeks; coach Kyle Shanahan said Purdy will travel, has shown improvement and has returned to limited practice after consultations with multiple medical specialists. Mac Jones will start his sixth game (4–1 as a starter) and has already triggered a $400,000 incentive with the potential to earn another $100,000 for qualifying wins. The Texans will be without top receivers Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring). The 49ers also list multiple players out or questionable, including Ricky Pearsall, Bryce Huff, Jake Brendel, Yetur Gross‑Matos, Deommodore Lenoir, Luke Gifford and Spencer Burford. Brandon Aiyuk could be eligible to return to practice as soon as next week following his October 2024 ACL and multi‑ligament injury. With Purdy unavailable, the 49ers may again lean on Christian McCaffrey to shoulder a heavy workload.