Getty Brock Purdy, 49ers quarterback
In his first training camp with the 49ers, defensive end Clelin Ferrell made a pretty significant impression, though not in the way he might have hoped. Early this week, Ferrell rushed first-string quarterback Brock Purdy, who is making a steady return from an elbow injury that cut short his postseason last year and might have cost San Francisco a spot in the Super Bowl.
Purdy took the hit from Ferrell, and Niner Nation held its collective breath. As coach Kyle Shanahan noted, “I had to hold my breath so I didn’t lose my mind.”
But for Purdy, the incident held no special significance—it’s football, and players (even quarterbacks) get hit in football.
“I feel like as a coach, a teammate watching, yeah, they might be scared about that, especially how things ended last year with my arm,” Purdy told reporters on Friday. “But, honestly for myself, it’s just football and I wasn’t even thinking about it. He hit the ball out of my hand and I was going through to finish the throw and the ball ended up being on the ground. It’s football. You know?”
There were certainly no hard feelings on Purdy’s part.
“Was I mad at Clelin or anything like that? I told him, it’s football, I get it, it’s a competitive environment. Things happen.’ For myself was I scared about it? Was I timid after that? No. It’s part of the game.”
“I feel like as a coach or teammate watching they might be scared about that especially how last year ended w/my arm but honestly for myself it’s just football…Was I scared about it? Was I timid after that? No.”
Brock Purdy on Clelin Ferrell play at practice knocking ball out
Purdy Is Ahead of Schedule in Surgery Return
Purdy has looked sharp thus far in camp, and could even be said to be ahead of schedule at this point—the team had been hopeful he would be back at practice by the second half of August, after all. Purdy had surgery on his UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in his right elbow on March 10, and was expected to need six months to rehab.
But here we are, less than five months after the surgery, and Purdy is already practicing on a semi-normal schedule.
Purdy was granted the day off on Saturday in Santa Clara, participating only in conditioning drills as Trey Lance took the helm as the starter. Lance, the third overall pick in the 2021 draft, is battling—and has the upper hand on—Sam Darnold for the backup slot.
Trey Lance should get a lot of opportunities taking 1st team reps without Brock Purdy practicing
CMC will also practice and plenty have wanted to see these two play together
Could be a big day for Lance
Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 NFL draft, took over as the starter for San Francisco last year after injuries to Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. He entered in relief of Garoppolo in Week 13, leading a 33-17 drubbing of the Dolphins. Purdy and the 49ers then won five straight games to close the season, with Purdy throwing 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, logging a 107.3 passer rating.
Purdy led wins over the Seahawks and Cowboys in the playoffs before he was injured in the first quarter against Philadelphia in the NFC championship game, a 49ers loss.
Purdy Focusing on Football
Purdy said he does not feel he needs to take special precautions coming into the year, despite recovery from the injury. Even when Ferrell hit him, he was only thinking about football.
“It was more concerned with the read and hitting the open guy,” Purdy said. “Then he hit it and I was like, ‘Oh shoot, he got through.’ I wasn’t even like ‘He hit my arm,’ or anything like that. That’s the honest truth.”
Still, Purdy has been sticking with the organization’s cautious return-to-action plan for him, which is designed to have him ready for Week 1 on September 10.
“Feels good,” Purdy said. “Second day in a row of throwing, just like I’ve been doing the past month. Arm feels good. It feels like I can continue to keep going. We have a plan of throwing two days on and one day off. Just sticking to that and going from there. Arm feels really good.”