SANTA CLARA — Josh Dobbs will start in place of the injured Brock Purdy when the last-place 49ers (6-10) close their season Sunday at the Arizona Cardinals (7-9).
Purdy sustained an elbow contusion that caused nerve irritation with about 1 1/2 minutes remaining in Monday night’s 40-34 defeat to the Detroit Lions. He started all but one other game for the 49ers since repairing that right elbow after a ligament tear two years ago in the NFC Championship Game loss at Philadelphia.
Purdy’s injury was not deemed a long-term issue by coach Kyle Shanahan, so he should slot in as the starter once the offseason program begins in some 3 1/2 months, presuming he does not hold out for a contract extension that he’s eligible to receive come season’s end.
Dobbs will be the 49ers’ third different starting quarterback this season. Brandon Allen held that role in the Nov. 24 loss at Green Bay while Purdy sat out with a right-shoulder injury.
Once Purdy got injured Monday night, Dobbs came on for his 49ers’ debut, completed 3-of-4 passes (35 yards), and scored on a last-minute, 7-yard touchdown run;
Dobbs is 3-11 all-time as an NFL starter, going 1-7 last year for the Cardinals and then 2-2 with the Minnesota Vikings upon being traded there after Kirk Cousins’ Achilles tear. Dobbs lost his first two starts with the 2022 Tennessee Titans.
with his last win coming last season for the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3; Dobbs lost to the host 49ers the following week.
He was a 2017 fourth-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of Tennessee, where he was teammates with Jauan Jennings, who is 77 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season.