Report: Brock Purdy entering final discussions on UCL surgery
Feb 6, 2023, 2:59 PM | Updated: 3:17 pm
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 14: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Levi's Stadium on January 14, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 41-23. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
A little more than a week after the NFC Championship game, and Brock Purdy is finalizing his surgical decisions for the 2023 offseason.
The 49ers’ QB has reportedly entered the final discussions regarding the torn UCL in his throwing elbow, expected to make a decision on surgery in the next few days. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported the news, stating that the general consensus is looking at the six-month option for Purdy.
More discussions are scheduled to take place on Monday to determine the specifics and finalize Purdy’s upcoming surgical procedure, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area….The likely outcome of surgery will be a consensus toward Purdy requiring an internal brace, and not the longer recovery required for Tommy John surgery, Maiocco reported Monday.
The report comes fives days after 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch shared a similar sentiment with the media, encouraged by the initial prognosis.
“I think the positive bit of news is that it seems to be consistent that the right approach is that one [surgery] that takes about that six-month mark,” Lynch said Wednesday. “So they’re continuing to work through that process. But we seem encouraged by the prognosis, that that’s kind of where it’s at.”
No surgery yet for #49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Per an orthopedic surgeon not involved in this case, the idea is to make sure conditions are as good as possible — no swelling, etc. — before going in and making the repair.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) February 6, 2023
“That was the coolest thing for me to hear,” Shanahan added. “Once three months is over, they start the rehab of just building the arm back slowly. And by six months, it’s built back. And that’s when I started ask questions. ‘So does that mean he’s on the mend and stuff like that? Like you would think of ACLs and things like that?’ And they said no, the build-up has been from three to six and at six months, he is the same dude and full-go, so that was the most encouraging part that I heard.”
Still dealing with swelling in his elbow, Purdy’s surgery could come in the next week or so, hoping to stay locked into a return around the start of training camp in August.
Hoping to enter the 2023 season with two healthy QBs in Trey Lance and Brock Purdy, the 49ers don’t appear to be looking for a starting-caliber veteran in free agency this spring.
“I know we have two starters on our team right now that I believe we can win with,” Kyle Shanahan stated. “So when you have that situation you’re not that eager to go looking around.”
Click here to watch Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch’s final press conference of the 2022 season
