SANTA CLARA – Brock is back, or at least he has crossed a key hurdle as 49ers training camp opened Tuesday.
Nearly 20 weeks after surgery to repair his throwing elbow, Purdy received medical clearance and skirted the Physically Unable To Perform (PUP) list.
“Brock’s cleared and ready to go,” general manager John Lynch said. “He’s been cleared. He’s going to be without restrictions. Having said that, we’re sticking to and adhering to a plan. He got after it the last couple days and we upped his pitch count. We believe in that plan.
“.. The great news is that Brock worked his tail off and is ready to go.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan said the Purdy will take first-team reps when he is practicing, adding: “He won’t go three days in a row.”
Purdy threw on Tuesday, will take Wednesday off, then participate in Thursday and Friday sessions.
Going on PUP would have prevented him from practicing and limited him to individual conditioning on the side amid his rehabilitation efforts. Players can come off the PUP list at any time, or the team can stash them there for the first six weeks of the season if they remain on PUP through the preseason.
Keeping Purdy off PUP signals that (a.) his recovery remains on track to potentially start the Sept. 10 season opener in Pittsburgh, and, (b.) he can resume his role as the starting quarterback, the job that saw him win eight games before his elbow injury in the NFC Championship Game loss in Philadelphia.
Purdy’s immediate predecessor, Jimmy Garoppolo, avoided the PUP list when he reported to camps in 2019 and ’21, when he was coming off knee and shoulder surgeries, respectively.
However the 49ers eventually work Purdy into practice, they’ll likely open with Trey Lance and Sam Darnold taking the majority of reps, with Brandon Allen also throwing to their cadre of receivers.
Wednesday marks their first practice of camp, though full-contact drills can’t begin until Sunday.
Swelling from Purdy’s torn ulnar collateral ligament required him to delay surgery until March 10. Less than 12 weeks later, he began a throwing program with a standard football, which figured to serve as the midway point of his recovery.
Even if Purdy has a setback or needs more time to get fully healthy, the NFL’s short-term injured reserve list affords them that ability to sideline him four games, nearly the time a PUP stint would demand.
Here is more on Purdy’s medical chart:
Jan. 29: Right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament is torn when struck by Philadelphia Eagles’ pass rusher Hasson Reddick, six plays into the 49ers’ opening possession (second-and-6 from the 50-year line) of their ensuing 31-7 loss in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field.
Feb. 22: Purdy’s initial date for surgery is postponed, after Dr. Keith Meister’s examination reveals that Purdy’s elbow remains swollen. Over a week later, a follow-up exam takes place in Purdy’s home state of Arizona, where Dr. Meister doubles as the Texas Rangers’ physician at spring training.
March 10: Purdy undergoes surgery in Arlington, Texas, where Dr. Meister uses an InternalBrace repair on the torn UCL. That affords a potential return of six months, as opposed to a Tommy John-type reconstruction that typically sidelines patients for a year.
March 27: General manager John Lynch, speaking to reporters at the annual league meeting, calls Purdy “probably the leader in the clubhouse” for the 49ers’ starting job, saying he’s “earned that right.” Coach Kyle Shanahan cautions the following the day that Purdy might not return until Week 4 of the regular season, depending on how his comeback looks come June.
March 31: Wearing a hinged elbow brace, Purdy tells Fox Sports 910-AM in Phoenix: “Out in public, it looks like I have a robotic arm.” He conducts range-of-motion exercises and strength training with physical therapist Keith Kocher in Gilbert, Arizona.
April 17: Purdy joins 49ers teammates at their Santa Clara headquarters for the start of the offseason program, which mainly consists of meetings and conditioning the first few weeks.
April 21: Purdy draws a loud ovation while attending a San Francisco Giants game, prompting him to not only stand and wave to the crowd, but to also show impressive mobility with his arm while exchanging high-fives with a fan.
May 29: Barely 11 weeks out of surgery, Purdy begins a throwing program, signaling his recovery is perhaps a week ahead of schedule. “We’re incredibly encouraged by that,” Lynch said two days later on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He’s hitting all his marks and that doesn’t surprise us, because he’s putting in all the work.”
May 31: Purdy executes his second throwing session. “I saw him moving around, throwing it a little bit,” wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk said. “I haven’t caught with him. But, yeah, I talked to him and he’s the same old Brock. He’s doing good.”
June 26: Purdy heads to Jacksonville, Fla., to throw under the guidance of private quarterbacks coach Will Hewlett and orthopedic specialist Tom Gormely, who worked with him before last year’s draft in which Purdy famously was the 262nd and final pick.
July 25: The 49ers clear Purdy, presumably after a physical and conditioning test, meaning he can partake in practices and avoid the Physically Unable To Perform List.