A new date has been set for 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to undergo surgery on his torn UCL. Multiple reports, first from the Athletic’s Matt Barrows, say the surgery will happen Friday, March 10. Mike Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle originally reported the surgery was set for Wednesday, March 8. The first surgery date was February 22, but was pushed back due to inflammation in the elbow. A Friday surgery tracks with the timeline laid out by general manager John Lynch at the NFL combine.
Getting Purdy’s surgery done will help the 49ers in a couple of ways. First, it begins the road to recovery for the second-year QB who went undefeated until his elbow injury derailed San Francisco in the NFC championship game. His short and long-term health is the most important aspect of the procedure.
The peripheral benefit for the team will be the clarity the surgery provides. Once the operation is complete, the club will know whether the QB had a repair or a reconstruction of the elbow ligament. That will also determine his timeline for return which will dictate how the team needs to maneuver at QB in free agency.
If Purdy receives the repair, it’s typically a six-month return to play timeline. An early-March surgery would potentially put him on track to play in the regular season opener in mid-September. If it’s a reconstruction, the timeline for return stretches to 9-to-12 months, which would put his entire 2023 season in jeopardy. Doctors won’t know which surgery needs to be performed until they get to physically see the damaged ligament.
