San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is expected to miss significant time this offseason due to the elbow injury he suffered in the NFC Championship Game.
The San Francisco 49ers overcame injuries to quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo and made it to the NFC Championship Game. That is due in part to the play of rookie signal caller Brock Purdy. But in the game on Sunday, Purdy suffered an elbow injury when he got his right arm hit by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick during a pass attempt.
The injury to Purdy was too much for the 49ers to overcome, as they lost 31-7 to the Eagles to miss out on the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year.
After the game, the team said that they would have Purdy undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. Well, the results came back, and the young quarterback is expected to miss significant time.
According to multiple reports, Purdy suffered a “complete tear” of the UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in his right elbow. ESPN senior NFL insider Adam Schefter reports that the quarterback is seeking second opinions, but that the team is recommending he undergoes surgery.
Brock Purdy is seeking second medical opinions about whether he needs surgery, per source. 49ers are recommending surgery but no decisions yet. https://t.co/GdMokH4pDe
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 30, 2023
49ers: Brock Purdy to miss six months due to UCL tear
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that if Purdy undergoes surgery to repair the UCL, the expectation is that he would be ready for the start of training camp.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy suffered a complete tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow and will undergo surgery, per sources.
Purdy is getting second opinions, but the initial hope is he can undergo a repair — not reconstruction (AKA Tommy John) — and will be ready for training camp. pic.twitter.com/dFGQGpPALw
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2023
After suffering the injury, Purdy appeared to tell head coach Kyle Shanahan that he couldn’t throw the football. He exited the game, and the team relied upon backup Josh Johnson.
In the second half, Johnson suffered a concussion after hitting the back of his head off of the football field following a hit by defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Purdy did return to fill in for Johnson but attempted just two passes.
In the game, Purdy completed all four of his pass attempts for 23 yards.
The 49ers quarterback conundrum this offseason only grows. Purdy may have to undergo elbow surgery to repair his UCL. Lance is returning from a fractured ankle suffered in Week 2. Garoppolo, who is recovering from a broken foot, is an unrestricted free agent.
It will be interesting to see what the 49ers will do this offseason in terms of the quarterback position. And if they opt to address the position in-house, who would be the starter for the 2023 season?
