The 49ers came into this season with big expectations—and who could blame them? Fresh off a near-miss last year, they were supposed to be the team to beat. But, as football loves to remind us, things don’t always go according to plan. Injuries piled up, consistency took a vacation, and now the playoffs are out of reach. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any messier heading into the finale against the Cardinals… well, let’s just say there’s one more surprise in store.

The QB, Brock Purdy, sustained an elbow injury against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. The Lions’ safety, Brian Branch, sacked him, and he fell awkwardly on his elbow. Following his elbow injury, Purdy was scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday. The doctors confirmed that the 25-year-old QB attained a mild bone contusion and nerve inflammation (compression injury). Yeah, that’s right. Similar to the Bills‘ QB, Josh Allen’s last elbow injury.

Remember that Patriots VS. Bills clash on Monday, week 16? The Allen’s Bills clinched a thrilling win over the New England team with 24-21 in their favor. However, the QB later revealed that he had lost some of the feeling in his throwing hand after suffering an injury in the very game. The MVP contender sustained a right elbow contusion but returned to the field and amassed 154 yards and a TD.

Likewise, Purdy injured his elbow against the Lions, the same one he surgically repaired in March 2022. While the bad news for the Niners fans is that the QB will have to miss out on the game, the good news is it will be a minor injury that won’t have a long-term impact.

As for the San Francisco team, it’s likely that the backup QB, Joshua Dobbs, will be leading the 49ers in their season-ending game in the absence of Purdy.

Head coach confirms Brock Purdy’s update for the finale

So far, the only confirmed news is that the 49ers are moving ahead for the regular season’s finale without Purdy. After the loss against Detroit, coach Shanahan confirmed that Purdy’s injury cost him starting against the Cardinals.

“I’m relieved, but I wasn’t too concerned,” the head coach said in the Monday press conference after getting news on Purdy’s temporary injury. “I wasn’t too worried about it just with the information we had last night, so it was good to just hear the same thing today.” In the meantime, there’s no confirmation of who’s gonna replace Purdy in his absence, but it is expected that Dobbs will take his place.

“We’re just starting to put this game to bed right now and trying to catch up with Arizona, so I’ll decide that later in the day,” coach Kyle Shanahan said when asked about the QB’s replacement against the Arizona game.

Brandon Allen has made a few cameo appearances for the Niners this season. He stepped in when needed and did what backup quarterbacks do best—keeping things steady. But here’s where it gets intriguing. If the Niners decide to roll with Joshua for the final game, it’ll be his first real chance to show what he’s got. A first shot under the big lights in a season-ending showdown? Now, that’s one way to make an entrance—or an exit.