Brock Purdy will undergo surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right throwing elbow on Friday, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
The 49ers quarterback originally was set to have the procedure to repair his UCL on Feb. 22. But an MRI revealed there was still too much inflammation around the elbow, which caused Dr. Keith Meister -- the orthopedic surgeon who will perform the surgery -- to recommend a later date.
Purdy met with Meister last week for a checkup and now has been approved to undergo the procedure at the end of the week in the Dallas area. General manager John Lynch recently lauded the doctor’s conviction in making such a difficult decision.
“It’s all about the best outcome,” Lynch said while at the NFL Scouting Combine last week. “Is it ideal? No, for a variety of reasons, time being No. 1. You want every waking minute that you have. But, ultimately, he’s (23) years old, and we want the best outcome. And that’s what Dr. Meister made a really tough decision, and we’re appreciative.”
Lynch and the 49ers understand the need to focus on Purdy's long-term health, even though the six-month recovery timeframe currently sits at the second week of September. Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season kicks off on Sept. 7.
Typically, the six-month recovery from a UCL repair is broken up into two time periods. The first three months is spent simply recovering from the procedure while minimizing swelling and inflammation. In the final three months, Purdy should be able to start throwing the football, with full recovery expected at the end of six months.
San Francisco 49ers
Third-year quarterback Trey Lance is set to take all first-team reps through the offseason after recovering from a second procedure to remove hardware from the right ankle he injured in Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season.
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With training camp set to begin at the end of July, the club will need to add depth to their quarterbacks room in free agency or in the draft, but Lynch recently shared he is happy with both of their young play-callers.
“We love the two guys we have,” Lynch said on the latest "49ers Talk" podcast. “Might we look elsewhere? Sure, because I think that’s just good business.”