SANTA CLARA, California. – San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has torn a ligament in his throwing arm, threatening his status for the start of next season.
A person familiar with the injury confirmed the diagnosis of the injury Purdy sustained in the NFC title game. The person spoke on condition of anonymity as the team has not released details about the injury.
NFL Network first reported that Purdy tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm and said he will get a second opinion if he needs repair or reconstruction.
An elbow repair would normally see Purdy sidelined for six months, meaning he could return just before training camp began. A reconstruction would likely sideline Purdy into the 2023 season.
The recent quarterback injury for San Francisco throws another blow to their future plans at the position. Their Week 1 starter of this season, Trey Lance, suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2 that required follow-up surgery last month.
Jimmy Garoppolo replaced Lance but broke his foot in week 13 and is eligible to become a free agent in March.
Purdy took over and won his first seven starts as a rookie before injuring himself in the first drive of Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“My arm felt like it was stretched out,” Purdy said after the game. “It felt like a lot of shocks, from my elbow down to my wrist. Front and back. Just pain everywhere.”
Purdy came back into play in the second half after backup Josh Johnson left with a concussion and mostly just passed the ball. He attempted two passes with the injured elbow, neither going more than 1 yard over the line of scrimmage.
“I couldn’t throw anything more than 5-10 yards,” he said. “So we only had a couple of screens. That was our only option when I came back.”
Purdy, selected with the final election in the 2022 draft, was a revelation when forced into action. He threw for 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions in the regular season.
Purdy helped the Niners win their first two playoff games, throwing for 546 yards and three non-turnover TDs in victories over Seattle and Dallas. Purdy became the third rookie ever to win two playoff starts.
Purdy’s 108 passer rating in the regular season and playoffs combined is the all-time best for a rookie with at least 200 attempts.
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