San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Brock Purdy Exits With Injury

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy's nightmarish evening came to a premature end on the NFL's final game of its Christmas Day triple-header. After four interceptions and behind 33-12, Purdy was pulled in the fourth quarter following his second "stinger" in two weeks.

Brock Purdy suffered a stinger for the second straight week. He's questionable to return, but it appears as if the 49ers have shut him down for the night
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) December 26, 2023

It was a night to forget for the (one-time?) MVP candidate. Bad throws and bad luck led to the four turnovers, off of which the Ravens scored 17 points. ESPN noted Purdy was supposedly cleared to return, but with the game out of hand, the 49ers turned to backup Sam Darnold, who promptly led a touchdown drive but closed out the game with an interception of his own. The Ravens kneeled on the ball to secure the 33-19 win.

Ultimately, the 49ers should be able to shake the loss off. They still remain the top seed in the NFC due to tiebreakers, and they close out their season with games against the Washington Commanders and the Los Angeles Rams. Purdy's chances to win MVP will certainly plummet following such a high-profile and disastrous performance, but the 49ers still have every opportunity to win home-field advantage.

As for the Ravens, they won't be able to revel in their victory for very long: they host the Miami Dolphins in a monumental AFC showdown next Sunday. The winner will hold the conference's top seed with only a game to play.