Swelling in 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s right elbow has delayed his scheduled surgery until early March, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reported Tuesday.
Purdy’s torn ulnar collateral ligament was supposed to be fixed on Wednesday, but Dr. Keith Meister reportedly suggested postponement due to ongoing inflammation. Now, San Francisco and Purdy must hope the upcoming second-year quarterback’s recovery timeline will have him healthy before the start of the 2023 season.
Dr. Meister and Purdy will reportedly meet again next month with the hope of completing the surgery if the swelling has reduced. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the procedure’s delay won’t alter the return timeline too much, and he should be back for the 2023 season. However, Dr. Meister still needs to evaluate whether he is eligible for a procedure known as a “surgical UCL repair augmented with an InternalBrace” or if Purdy’s elbow requires a hybrid surgery that would include partial reconstruction, per ESPN.
The InternalBrace surgery, the procedure the 49ers and Purdy are hoping for, requires six months of recovery time and would have the signal-caller ready in August. However, the hybrid surgery would reportedly require extra recovery time. According to ESPN, Dr. Meister will make that assessment when completing the surgery, though Purdy previously noted all the doctors he’s visited have said he needs InternalBrace surgery.
Purdy sustained the injury in the team’s opening drive in the NFC championship against the Eagles. It ended a fairy-tale first season for Purdy, as the untested third-string quarterback led San Francisco to a 6–0 record to finish the 2022 season and two postseason wins.
