Shutterstock
The San Francisco 49ers‘ season-long quarterback nightmare continued into the NFC Championship Game, with Brock Purdy suffering an injury to his throwing arm. That led to journeyman backup Josh Johnson, the team’s fourth-string quarterback, playing during the game before Purdy returned.
Ultimately, the 49ers fell short of their bid to reach Super Bowl 57 with the Philadelphia Eagles securing a convincing victory.
On Monday, we learned more about Purdy’s injury, and the news was not good.
Purdy suffered a complete tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing arm. The hope is that Purdy will undergo surgery to repair the ligament and be able to avoid the dreaded Tommy John surgery for a complete reconstruction.
49ers QBs:
🏈Brock Purdy has a torn ulnar collateral ligament that will sideline him six months.
🏈Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a broken foot in December and is now a free agent.
🏈Trey Lance fractured his fibula and had ligament damage that required two surgeries on his ankle.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 30, 2023
If Purdy’s elbow can recover from the repair, his timeline to return would be 6 months which would allow him to return in time for training camp. If he is forced to undergo reconstruction, Purdy’s timeline for a return to play would be 9 to 12 months.
Purdy is seeking second medical opinion to determine the proper road forward.
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
Purdy took over for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo on December 4 in the first quarter. He got his first start the following week and led the 49ers to a 35-7 win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the win, Purdy became the only quarterback in his first career start to beat a team led by Tom Brady.
Purdy, who was Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft, finished the regular season with 1,374 yards for thirteen touchdowns and four interceptions. He was 5-0 as a starter in the regular season, before going 2-1 in the postseason. In the playoffs, Purdy added 569 yards for three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He added another touchdown on the ground. Purdy became the first 49ers rookie quarterback to start and win a playoff game in the team’s Wild Card meeting with the Seattle Seahawks, throwing for 332 yards and finding the endzone for four total touchdowns, the most by a rookie quarterback in a playoff game.
Hopefully Purdy will be able to avoid Tommy John surgery and get back on the field in time for training camp to finish what he started during his impressive rookie campaign.
