If ruptured, Purdy is looking at the dreaded Tommy John surgery
Kyle’s update, 5:37 p.m. PT: Adam Schefter reported that the 49ers believe Brock Purdy injured his UCL during Sunday’s game, and the hope is that it’s not ruptured. If that’s not the case, Purdy would require only a six-week recovery. His MRI on Monday will provide more clarity.
In the press box, some feared that a potential rupture could lead to Tommy John surgery, which is obviously the worst-case scenario. Generally speaking, Tommy John surgery would force Purdy to miss anywhere between 9 and 12 months.
It was evident that 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was suffering severe pain in his elbow. The only reason he re-entered the game was after his backup, and San Francisco’s fourth-string quarterback Josh Johnson, suffered a concussion.
Before he went back into the game, Purdy was on the sideline throwing to a receiver that was fewer than five yards away from him. So, when head coach Kyle Shanahan only called screen passes for Purdy, it’d made sense.
Despite this, social media doctors were quick to criticize both Shanahan and Purdy. The 49ers were left without any other options at quarterback. It was telling when Shanahan ran the ball four times in a row and turned it over as opposed to letting Purdy throw. It was even more telling after Christian McCaffrey threw a deep pass in the fourth quarter.
Here’s what Purdy told Shanahan before entering the game: “I told him right there if we run a play, I can’t throw deep. It’s hurting really bad. If we’re going to get a complete pass, it has to be something short, if that’s alright.”
Purdy added that it was “extremely painful” to throw the ball and how the injury never improved as the game went on.
Here’s Shanahan on whether the team knew about the severity of Purdy’s injury: No, we don’t. We have to get an MRI. He couldn’t throw. He wouldn’t have gone back in if we hadn’t had to. It was that, or we were going to have wildcat. We didn’t get long enough drives to show that, either.”
Purdy is scheduled to have an MRI Monday, as he’s suffering from swelling in his elbow and forearm.
Here’s Nick Bosa on how Purdy’s injury impacted the team:
“It definitely puts a damper on things. But been through it multiple times this year and had a lot of hope and prevailed (in the past). It was tough, definitely not how you draw it up.”
The wind went out of the 49ers sail once Purdy went down with an injury. But Fred Warner said Purdy has nothing to be ashamed of: He has nothing to be sad about. He’s the reason we got to this game.”
Finally, Purdy said he felt bad for the veterans on the roster: After the 2019 Super Bowl, I felt the same way about [Joe] Staley and a lot of guys on the O-line that you have an idea they won’t get another shot at it. I feel the same here. Guys like Trent [Williams] who’ve done everything right and should get rewarded.”