McCoy, Hunter on practice field for 49ers
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colt McCoy returned to practice on Saturday after leaving Thursday's game with what he described as a "stinger" in his right shoulder.
McCoy said after the game that he would undergo an MRI as a precaution. Although results of an MRI were not announced, McCoy was at practice Saturday in a blue jersey that designates him as a no-contact player.
"Colt didn't like being out there in the blue jersey," coach Jim Harbaugh said after practice. "But hopefully tomorrow he will be back in the mix."
McCoy's right shoulder is always worthy of concern because that is his throwing shoulder, but it is the same one he famously injured playing for Texas in the BCS Championship game against Alabama in January 2010.
That injury was so severe that he said he has never really been 100 percent since, not even through the 21 games he played for the Cleveland Browns, before being traded this year to the 49ers, where the plan was for him to be a backup to Colin Kaepernick.
However, the 49ers' system is still new to McCoy, so he is getting competition for the backup job from Scott Tolzien, who has never started an NFL game but has been in the 49ers' system for a couple of years.
Also rejoining practice was running back Kendall Hunter, who was activated from the active/physically unable to perform list.
Hunter was put on the list as a precaution early in training camp. He was recovering from an Achilles' injury he sustained during week 12 last season against the New Orleans Saints.
Hunter averaged 5.2 yards per carry, running for 371 yards with two touchdowns last year as the backup to starter Frank Gore. But Hunter is getting competition from 2012 second-round draft pick LaMichael James and hard-running Anthony Dixon.
Harbaugh was asked if Hunter was still the No. 2 running back.
"Well, he probably is the No. 2 guy in terms of assignments," Harbaugh said. "But whenever you are coming off an injury, you have to get back to 100 percent. We know what Kendall is about."
--Team correspondents for The Sports Xchange contributed material for this story.
