Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
49ers QB Trey Lance could make full recovery within 10 to 12 weeks, says surgeon
Sep 20, 2022 at 3:31 PM
•
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Trey Lance will likely head to injured reserve soon. On Monday, the quarterback underwent what most assumed to be season-ending surgery to repair the damage suffered when he broke his ankle against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2.
On a conference call with reporters this week, head coach Kyle Shanahan sounded pretty confident that Lance would be ready to go for Week 1 of the 2023 season. One expert isn't so sure the injury is season-ending, though.
Foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Kenneth Jung, a consultant to the Los Angeles Rams, believes Lance could be fully healed within 10 to 12 weeks. Assuming the lengthier estimated recovery time, that might make him available after Week 14. However, the shorter estimate could mean Lance is healthy after Week 12.
Update: Shanahan told reporters that Lance is not expected to return this season.
"There could be a lot of non-medical factors that are playing a part in shutting him down — protecting their investment in the future," Jung told
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. "But usually, this injury is about 10 to 12 weeks."
The 49ers announced that Lance's surgery to repair a fibula fracture and ligament disruption was successful.
"The ligament damage, Jung said, was probably caused by a dislocation, with bones shifting out of joint," wrote Branch. "The torn ligaments are likely in the syndesmosis, the complex of ligaments involved in high ankle sprains.
"Jung said Lance's fibula was probably stabilized with a plate and screws. That hardware will likely remain during Lance's career, as it involves another operation to remove, and the bone can be weaker without it."
The good news is that Jung doesn't expect Lance's mobility to be limited once he fully recovers from the injury. While a return this season doesn't sound impossible, it sounds like, at worst, Lance will be full-go next year and ready for the 2023 season.
Related News
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers being favored over Eagles 'doesn't make a lot of sense' to Kyle Shanahan
Sitting at 10-1, the Philadelphia Eagles own the NFL's best record. They are set to host the San Francisco 49ers in a highly anticipated NFC Championship Game rematch on Sunday in front of a rowdy Lincoln Financial Field crowd. Despite the Eagles' five-game winning streak, the 8-3 road-team 49ers are currently favored by three points.
Oddsmakers might be favoring the 49ers because of how they have won games recently. Bouncing back from a challenging October, the team is now on a three-game winning streak, dominating opponents with an average margin of victory of 20.7 points.
In contrast, the Eagles have secured victories with a more modest average margin of 4.8 points over their last four games, including an overtime win against the Buffalo Bills on
George Kittle says Brock Purdy lifts 49ers offense; Eager for Eagles game
Tight end George Kittle values the presence of Brock Purdy in the San Francisco 49ers' huddle. The quarterback has played efficiently, contributing to the team's three consecutive wins following a costly October slump.
Purdy is on track to become the first 49ers quarterback to surpass 4,000 passing yards since Jeff Garcia did so in 2000. In fact, his projected 4,437 yards would set a franchise record.
"I think I can speak for everybody on our offense, we're continually impressed with the things that Brock does all the time," Kittle told Jim Rome on Tuesday. "His consistency every single day, the relationship that he's built with all of our skilled players, all the guys that he gets the ball to, it's pretty amazing. And we all feel that [comfort] with
Brock Purdy's resilience takes center stage as 49ers gear up for Eagles, says John Lynch
When the San Francisco 49ers' general manager, John Lynch, assesses Brock Purdy today and draws comparisons to the player who stepped inside Lincoln Financial Field in January for the NFC Championship Game, he sees "very much the same guy."
Of course, Purdy has continued to develop as a player and has shown significant growth this season while leading the 49ers to an NFC West-best 8-3 record.
This Sunday, Purdy returns to Lincoln Financial Field, where he suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow just 10 months ago, forcing the quarterback to endure a lengthy offseason recovery.
Lynch points out that one of Purdy's most commendable traits is that no moment is too big for him, whether it involves rehabbing an injury or playing
Steve Young says 49ers set at QB with Brock Purdy
Are the San Francisco 49ers finally set at QB? Since concussions forced Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young to retire following the 1999 season, the 49ers have been searching for that franchise signal-caller they believe would be the guy to lead the team to a sixth Super Bowl Championship.
Jeff Garcia was the guy tasked with following Young. And while Garcia had a good career with the 49ers, complete with multiple Pro Bowls to his name, he was never considered the one who would lead the team back to the top.
Alex Smith was drafted number one overall in 2005 to be that guy. He never really had much of a chance to show he could be, due mainly to a revolving door at offensive coordinator. Colin Kaepernick looked like he might be the guy when he led the 49ers to the
