49ers QB Brock Purdy has successful elbow surgery Friday, per report

Forty days later, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy underwent surgery Friday on the elbow ligament that was torn in their NFC Championship Game loss at Philadelphia.

Early indications are that Purdy’s procedure went along the best-case-scenario path. His UCL was repaired with an internal brace by Dr. Keith Meister in the Dallas area, and that surgery should allow Purdy to resume throwing in three months, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo first reported.

Such a recovery path could put Purdy on a six-month timeline for full clearance to practice and play, which coincides with the start of the 49ers’ regular season in early September. He won’t be participating in the offseason program that begins next month, however, and Trey Lance figures to serve as the 49ers’ first-string quarterback, as was the case a year ago.

Purdy, 23, hoped to follow the elbow-surgery lead of former 49er Nick Mullens, who became the first NFL quarterback known to have a torn UCL repaired with an internal brace. Mullens underwent that procedure in the second-to-last game of the 2020 season, and he was healthy enough to participate in 2021 training camp with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Purdy revealed last month that he might undergo a “hybrid” procedure that includes the internal brace with a reconstructive element. A complete reconstruction of the UCL, also known as Tommy John surgery, also was an option, albeit the least desired when it came to a recovery time that wouldn’t get Purdy back on the field until 2024. Although that elbow reconstruction has resurrected careers of countless baseball pitchers, it’s a rarity among NFL quarterbacks, and Jake Delhomme was the first one known to return from that procedure, 15 years ago with the Carolina Panthers.

On Jan. 29, Purdy’s right, throwing elbow was walloped by Eagles pass rusher Hasson Reddick, six snaps into the 49ers’ opening possession as they tried responding to a 7-0 deficit. Reddick shed a block by tight end Tyler Kroft and attacked Purdy, who’d taken a seven-step drop at midfield and waited a split second too long for Brandon Aiyuk to break free downfield.

When Reddick’s arm struck Purdy’s, the ball fluttered out for a fumble, and Purdy retreated to the sideline to painfully test his wounded wing. Once his replacement, Josh Johnson, exited with a concussion on the fifth snap after halftime, the 49ers had no passing threat, though Purdy did try and complete two passes, but for just 3 and 1 yards in their otherwise run-run-run comeback bid.