The San Francisco 49ers had a brutal NFC Championship Game, as they saw Brock Purdy suffer a serious elbow injury on the first offensive drive of the game, when Haason Reddick hit him right before he threw the ball, resulting in a fumble and what we now know to be a torn UCL in his throwing elbow.
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 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
Purdy would have to be replaced by Josh Johnson, but would then come back in when Johnson suffered a concussion in the third quarter. At that point, all Purdy could do was hand the ball off, attempting just one pass, a middle screen to Christian McCaffrey, on his first drive back and then never throwing it again. It was hard to watch, as the Eagles could simply load the box and the Niners could only hope to break something huge to give them any hope of scoring. It was admirable for Purdy to go out and give them anything, even if it was just handing the ball off and orchestrating the offense in the huddle and before the snap, with a torn ligament in his elbow, but it just wasn’t going to end well against a team like Philadelphia.
The 49ers now enter the offseason with a number of questions at the quarterback position. Purdy is hopeful to be ready for camp but that may be determined by whether he needs Tommy John reconstructive surgery or simply a repair, and Trey Lance, who began the season as the starter, still rehabbing from a broken leg and ligament damage to his ankle from the second game of the season, but hoping to likewise be back for OTAs and camp. Jimmy Garoppolo was nearing a return from a broken foot and would’ve potentially been active for the Super Bowl, but he is set to be a free agent this offseason.
