What We Learned at 49ers Training Camp: Team Leaning on Brock Purdy to Guide It Through Injury Woes

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Greetings from 49ers training camp, where you can feel the electricity in the air. Sorry, that’s a terrible electrical substation joke, one of many you’ve probably seen this week regarding the injury-ravaged team.

On Thursday, Mike Evans was off to the side with his arms folded as fellow receiver Christian Kirk tossed a football in the air and tight end George Kittle cheered on his teammates away from the action. Unlike the three aforementioned players, rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling was at least sporting a helmet, but he didn’t participate in the 11-on-11 portion of practice. Still, that’s one less player compared to the 20 players who didn’t participate at all on Wednesday.

Nick Bosa has been sidelined as well, but not sure what he was up to during Thursday’s workout. He wasn’t easy to spot like the electrical towers that hover over San Francisco’s practice fields. It must be a difficult time for the 49ers’ social media team to get highlights of players without the substation in the background. These days, many fans don’t want to see what they believe is causing all the injuries.

The 49ers have looked into the electrical substation theories, which has been shot down by scientists, and haven’t found any evidence that suggests they should be concerned about where they practice and play home games. (Levi’s Stadium is located behind the practice fields.)

CMC, Brock Purdy, and the electrical substation 😄 pic.twitter.com/5d6Yvhrc8b
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 6, 2026

Still, it’s alarming that the 49ers have been hit this hard by injuries nearly a month away from the season opener against the Rams in Australia. But on the bright side, Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey were on the field for Thursday’s practice. Both players looked sharp, which served as a reminder of the amount of star power this team has despite the laundry list of injuries.

And let’s not forget that the 49ers also dealt with several injuries last season—that won’t help quiet the conspiracy theories—and still found a way to win 12 games and advance to the divisional round of the postseason.

The electrical substation theories are overblown, and the 49ers being cooked weeks before the season seems to be an exaggeration. Expect San Francisco to again be in the mix again, with plenty of help from Purdy.

Here’s what else I learned from 49ers training camp …

Purdy capable of guiding team through early injury wave

Last year, the 49ers didn’t fold from all the injuries in large part because they got a full season from McCaffrey and 16 games from left tackle Trent Williams.

Purdy wasn’t available as much last year due to a toe injury forcing him to miss eight games. But he’s also the kind of player capable of guiding his team through adversity. He’s that good, and many seem to forget why the 49ers handed him a five-year, $265 million contract extension last year.

On Thursday, Purdy made a handful of wow throws and had a few deep bombs to unheralded players such as KhaDarel Hodge and Malik Turner. He also has made a few plays throwing to the middle of the field to old friend Deebo Samuel Sr., who recently returned after spending 2025 with the Commanders.

While there’s so much being made of the injuries, there’s not enough attention to what a fully healthy Purdy could do in 2026. He already has gotten a cool nickname from new 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who refers to Purdy as the “Layer King” because he puts the ball in the right places.

If Purdy can elevate the players around him amid injuries, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s in the MVP conversation this season. Then again, it’s only August, giving Evans and Kirk plenty of time to return before Week 1, and there’s a chance Kittle, who’s working his way back from his Achilles injury, returns later in the season.

Brock Purdy at the office 🏈 pic.twitter.com/5uRBAPmI3v
— Gilberto Manzano (@GManzano24) August 6, 2026

Old 49ers still have plenty of fight

Backup quarterback Mac Jones, who filled in nicely for Purdy last season, caught himself when he said there are a lot of “old” players on his team.

“I mean older,” Jones told reporters on Thursday.

He’s right about that. This is one of the league’s oldest teams, with many of San Francisco’s best players being on the wrong side of 30, including Williams, McCaffrey, Evans, Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Additionally, Fred Warner turns 30 in November.

All of these players showed last year they can impact games when available, but there’s some uncertainty that comes with an older team. Injuries occur more regularly (maybe age is more to blame than the electrical substation?). And you never know when a player’s physical decline has begun.

So it could be now or never for the 49ers to end their lengthy championship drought with this core group—something I’ve said in previous years yet somehow this team still finds a way to be in the mix at the end.

Kyle Shanahan “inching closer” in practice

The head coach hasn’t been as hands-on in practices after sustaining significant injuries in a car accident last month. He has been having his coaches run the show while he stands at a distance during 11-on-11 drills.

But players, including Jones, have noticed that Shanahan has slowly started to get closer to the action.

“He’s inching closer,” Jones joked.

It’s going to be some time before Shanahan is running practice like he used to, but Jones said he and the rest of the offense have been pleased with how offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has guided them since training camp opened.

Here to see the 49ers and the famous electrical station 😅 pic.twitter.com/iRpj7Tf3aq
— Gilberto Manzano (@GManzano24) August 6, 2026

One more thing I learned …

Here’s one more item from Jones’s conversation with reporters. He mentioned that he likes to call Stribling the “Flyin’ Hawaiian” because of how he uses his athleticism to go after passes.

And, of course, because the rookie second-rounder is from Hawaii. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but the team provided a Hawaiian pizza in the media room. Wonderful way to end the visit with the 49ers.

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

Add us as a preferred source on Google