Report: Purdy undergoes successful UCL repair surgery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
After some delays, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is on his way to recovery from the torn ulnar collateral ligament he sustained in his right elbow during the NFC Championship Game.
Purdy underwent successful elbow surgery Friday, NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported, citing a source, and the procedure went forward as anticipated with a UCL repair, known as an internal brace.
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Purdy originally was supposed to have elbow surgery Feb. 22, but it was pushed back by his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Keith Meister, after an MRI revealed there still was too much inflammation around the elbow.
With a UCL repair, Purdy's expected recovery timeline is six months. He'll spend the next three months simply recovering from the procedure while minimizing swelling and inflammation, and then, in the final three months, Purdy should be able to start throwing the football. His full recovery is expected at the end of six months.
In that timeframe, Purdy would be ready to go by the second week of September, with the first Sunday of the 2023 NFL season is set for kickoff on Sept. 10. The 49ers originally had hope he would be ready for training camp this summer before his surgery was postponed.
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Still, the reported outcome of Friday's procedure is as good of a result as the 49ers could have hoped for, especially if Purdy's recovery goes as planned. There was the possibility that once Dr. Meister opened Purdy's elbow up to see the damage, the young signal-caller could have required a full-blown UCL reconstruction, or Tommy John surgery, putting his entire sophomore season in jeopardy.
As Purdy looks ahead to his recovery, the 49ers' former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance is expected to be cleared from his broken ankle for the start of the team's offseason program. He'll get the bulk of snaps throughout OTAs, training camp and into the preseason, though San Francisco is expected to seek some sort of QB help via free agency.
While uncertainty still remains about who will be under center this coming season for the 49ers, the team now can scratch one big question mark off their board.
