When the Pittsburgh Steelers host the San Francisco 49ers on September 10th to open the 2023 NFL season, 49ers general manager John Lynch is optimistic that his team will have quarterback Brock Purdy under center. Lynch spoke with SiriusXM NFL Radio Wednesday and shared some updates on Purdy’s recovery from tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game last year.
“Best case scenario, we’re just gonna kind of take it as it comes,” said Lynch. “But, I mean the hope is he is ready for training camp, the hope is he is ready for the regular season.”
Purdy was one of the feel-good stories of the 2022 NFL season. He entered the league as the fabled Mr. Irrelevant, the title bestowed on the player selected with the final pick in the NFL draft. He played in nine regular-season games and only started five, but he threw for 13 touchdowns to only four interceptions during that time while also adding a touchdown on the ground. He played in the team’s final six games of the regular season after taking over early in the first quarter of the 49ers’ 33-17 win over the Miami Dolphins for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo. From there, Purdy helped extend the team’s winning streak to 10 games to end the season, including a three-touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season finale.
The party continued for Purdy, the man some took to calling “Mr. Relevant,” as he threw for three touchdowns again in the 49ers’ Wild Card victory over their divisional rivals the Seattle Seahawks. While he did not throw for a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers were still able to advance to the NFC title game against the Eagles. Unfortunately for Purdy and San Francisco, he suffered the serious injury to his elbow in the first quarter after only attempting four passes. The 49ers’ season came to an abrupt halt and Purdy’s future came into question.
However, Lynch seems to have the utmost confidence that Purdy is doing everything properly to recover and be ready to face off against the Steelers come Week One.
“There’s certain markers that you hit,” Lynch said. “He was 12 weeks out and that meant it was time to throw. He did so and responded really well. He’s just had one session thus far, but we’re incredibly encouraged by that.”
If Purdy is indeed ready to start come September, Pittsburgh’s pass rushers will want to keep him uncomfortable. The 49ers were one of the least-sacked teams in the league last year with 31, but Purdy himself was sacked 11 times in the final six games alone. Right tackle Mike McGlinchey left in free agency and the 49ers are looking to Colton McKivitz to step in after signing the West Virginia produce to a two-year extension this offseason despite him only starting five games in his first three seasons with the team.
