A dominant season for the 49ers ended with a whimper Sunday, when San Francisco dropped the NFC championship game 31-7 to end what was an outstanding season.
The loss so one-sided partially because the 49ers lost the ability to throw the ball in the second half, after Brock Purdy was forced to return to the game with an injured arm when Josh Johnson was knocked out.
Purdy and the 49ers' passing offense was rendered inert, with the quarterback attempting just two passes upon his second-half return.
The initial injury came on the first series of the game, when Purdy's arm was hit by a charging Haason Reddick, forcing a fumble. Purdy seemingly told Shanahan he couldn't throw with the arm injury on the sideline, but the Niners' hand was forced when Johnson suffered his injury early in the second half.
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What is Brock Purdy's injury?
Per NFL.com's Tom Pelissero, Purdy suffered a complete tear in his UCL, an MRI Monday showed.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy suffered a complete tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow and will undergo surgery, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 30, 2023
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
Purdy will undergo an operation for the surgery. However, according to The Athletic's David Lombardi, it will be an "internal brace" repair, rather than Tommy John surgery, as initially feared.
Brock Purdy's surgery date is set for Feb. 22, presumably after swelling has subsided to create optimal conditions for the operation.
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 8, 2023
Reported timeline (ready for training camp) indicates Purdy has elected to go with the "internal brace" technique — NOT Tommy John — as expected https://t.co/cQjKi3P8AH
Purdy's surgery, which was scheduled for Feb. 22, has been delayed due to inflammation in his elbow. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Purdy would still be on track to return before the 2023 season, but the timeline gets tighter as the surgery gets pushed back.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy today visited Dr. Keith Meister, who recommended postponing surgery because of ongoing inflammation in Purdy’s elbow, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 22, 2023
They’ll reconvene in early March. All signs continue to point a UCL repair that would have Purdy ready for the 2023 season.
Torn UCL recovery timeline
A repair on Purdy's arm would give him a standard recovery of about six months, meaning if he got surgery on Tuesday, he would be ready to return right around July.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed as much on Wednesday, reporting that the 49ers expect their hurler to be fit and firing by training camp.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy will meet with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas on Feb. 21 and plans to have surgery to repair his torn UCL on the 22nd, sources say. The surgery, set to be done by the respected #Rangers doc, will allow Purdy to make a full recovery & be ready for training camp. pic.twitter.com/9ahMWbqPD1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 8, 2023
Purdy appears to be right on schedule, going under the knife on March 10. If everything goes to plan, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports, he should be back on the field in some capacity come June.
#49ers QB Brock Purdy underwent successful surgery on his elbow today, source says. It was the anticipated UCL repair with an internal brace. The expectation is Purdy will begin throwing in three months and build up his strength from there. pic.twitter.com/YQbDzBMinh
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 10, 2023
Avoiding Tommy John surgery will go a long way in shortening Purdy's recovery time. That surgery typically brings with it a yearlong recover time, as was the case for former Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme.
All in all, it seems San Francisco and Purdy lucked out. By opting for the internal brace method, Purdy should be back in time to at least spend time with the team during the summer, which will be important in a crowded 49ers QB room.
What does this mean for 49ers QB situation?
In an interesting twist, Purdy's injury might mean a reunion between Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers.
It's often said if you have two starting quarterbacks you don't have a quarterback. Somehow, the 49ers have three of Schrödinger's QBs: They have three viable ones on the roster until March 15, but they won't know the status of any of them until later.
Trey Lance is expected to recover in time for a full return in the 2023 season from an ankle injury, but Garoppolo is the one whose return to 100 percent is the most surefire. And with the 49ers' QB issues this year, they'll want to carry at least two viable options next season.
With that in mind, don't be surprised if the 49ers re-up Garoppolo's tenure with the team after signing him to a surprising one-year, $7 million contract last offseason. The 49ers were 7-3 with him starting this year and he was a steady presence, something that is invaluable for a team with great coaching.
Of course, they could look to add a free agent like Tom Brady, who has strong ties to the Bay Area.
The 49ers have some hard decisions to make this offseason.
As for Purdy, second opinions will shed light his long-term status, but a full UCL tear is ominous, to say the least. Once there's confirmation of what "repairs" are necessary, it will be easier to prognosticate any kind of return for 2022's rookie sensation.
