The San Francisco 49ers were the recipient of bad fortune during the NFC Championship Game when starting quarterback Brock Purdy tore the UCL in his elbow.
The 49ers lost 31-7 to the Philadelphia Eagles, and immediately there was concern that Purdy, who needed surgery, could possibly miss some or even all of the 2023 campaign.
But luckily, according to NFL reporter Rob Maaddi, Purdy’s recovery timeline shouldn’t interfere with his ability to be ready for next season.
San Francisco #49ers QB Brock Purdy told me he’s having elbow surgery to repair his UCL in 2 weeks. It’s not Tommy John surgery. He expects to start throwing in 3 months and recovery is expected to take 6 months.
— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 10, 2023
Some feared that Purdy, who became the starter in Week 13 despite being a rookie, would need Tommy John surgery, which is a procedure that is associated with baseball pitchers and involves the reconstruction of the injured ligament.
Athletes usually have to spend up to 18 months in rehab following such a procedure.
Assuming Purdy is ready for training camp this summer, it will give the Niners some much-needed clarity on how their active roster looks.
As was the case last offseason, there are questions about their quarterback situation, as Jimmy Garoppolo, their former starter, appears to be on his way out, and Trey Lance, who replaced him at QB1 when this season started, still appears to have some untapped potential.
The belief is that if Purdy is healthy and suffers no ill effects from his injury or surgery, he will be the starter when next season begins, although nothing is etched in stone yet.
But if that is the case, San Francisco could perhaps be the early favorite, or at least one of the early favorites, to win next season’s Super Bowl, as they boast a very strong roster on both sides of the football.
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