49ers Rumors: Brock Purdy to Have Surgery on Elbow Injury; 6-Month Rehab Expected

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will undergo surgery for his injured elbow on Friday, according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows:

Purdy tore his ulnar collateral ligament during the San Francisco 49ers' 31-7 blowout loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

Purdy, 23, went from being a seventh-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft and the team's third-string quarterback behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo to the man who helped save San Francisco's season when both Lance and Garoppolo went down to injuries.

The rookie quarterback went 5-0 in his starts down the stretch, throwing for 1,374 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 67.1 percent of his passes and taking 11 sacks.

No team in football was hotter than the 49ers heading into the playoffs, as they closed the regular season with 10 straight wins, good for the No. 2 overall seed. Purdy was only a part of that incredible finish, as the team's defense was elite and the midseason acquisition of superstar running back Christian McCaffrey gave the team another versatile weapon.

But no position on the field is more important than quarterback, and at a moment of desperation for the Niners it was Purdy who kept the ship from capsizing.

If Purdy is healthy enough to start the 2023 regular season, the Niners are going to have a fascinating quarterback situation on their hands. Lance entered the 2022 season as the starter and San Francisco gave up major draft capital to move up to the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 draft to select him. Surely the Niners want to see what he can do with a full year under center.

But the Niners also know they can trust Purdy, and if he's the better player and wins the starting gig it's going to set up an awkward situation in San Francisco. For now, however, the team will be monitoring both his recovery from elbow surgery and Lance's rehabilitation from a fibula fracture and ligament disruption.