On Tuesday, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he remains "pretty optimistic" that quarterback Brock Purdy would be available for Week 1 of the 2023 season. The 23-year-old underwent surgery on March 10 to repair the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear in his right elbow.
Purdy is hopeful to be on the field with his teammates against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 10.
"Feeling good and taking it one day at a time," Purdy told reporters after Tuesday's practice, the second of organized team activities (OTAs). The quarterback obviously did not participate. However, the 49ers remain hopeful that Purdy can start some limited throwing sometime next week. Everything seems to be going as planned. So what does Purdy think about his coach's optimism about his Week 1 availability?
"I feel good. Arm is feeling good," Purdy said. "So to say I'm going to be ready by this time or this time, we're not trying to label any kind of timeline like that. For sure, though. That's a goal, right? You want to be ready for the season, and if that's the case, great. But like I said, we're just taking it one day at a time and don't want to say anything that we regret down the road or whatever."
For now, Purdy is focused on regaining his strength, hoping to return to where he was before the injury.
In March, general manager John Lynch called Purdy the "leader in the clubhouse" regarding the 49ers' starting quarterback job, assuming he is healthy. That was high praise after only eight NFL starts, counting the playoffs. So what went through Purdy's mind when he heard that vote of confidence?
"For me, I just try to focus on where I'm at right now, and for me, it's getting my arm healthy," Purdy said. "To say all these things and say you want to be this kind of guy or that kind of guy on the team, I think that's just, in a sense, foolish, just for myself to think like that.
"For me, I come into work every day trying to get my arm right, trying to be around the guys, and do what it takes to win. We want to win a Super Bowl here—simple as that. And so, for me, I just do my job, and everything else falls into place. But I'm just trying to be present. I'm not trying to get caught up in rumors or what people are saying or anything like that.
"But to hear him say that, for sure, I'm appreciative. And to see what we did last year, and winning 12 games in a row and everything as a team, it was a great accomplishment. So we just want to build off that momentum."
Purdy plans to remain with his teammates through OTAs. After that, he hopes to continue his rehab in Jacksonville.
