Brock Purdy warms up during a timeout in a 30-23 49ers win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif.
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So it was easy to worry even more about Purdy’s arm after he had serious elbow surgery six months ago. Whether you call the repair reconstructive or Tommy John surgery, Purdy’s torn ulnar collateral ligament was a rare injury for an NFL quarterback, with little precedent.
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After spending the summer on a “pitch count,” Purdy has played two regular season games this year. And the results are clear: His arm is good. Maybe even too good. In Week 1 against the Steelers, Purdy looked identical to how he did last year. Maybe he doesn’t have a top-tier cannon, but his arm is certainly sufficient to make all the throws Kyle Shanahan’s offense needs.
In Sunday’s 30-23 win over the Rams, Purdy had the opposite problem. While he finished a respectable 17-for-25 with 206 yards, Purdy whiffed on three passes that would have turned a one-score squeaker into a blowout. All three were overthrows that Purdy sailed past open receivers; at least two, to wide-open Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, appeared to be likely touchdowns. A third, to Jauan Jennings, had big-play potential. None of the three drives ended in touchdowns.
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In another sign of how much Shanahan respects Purdy, the coach said only one of the three sailed passes — the bomb to Aiyuk — really stung.
Fortunately for Purdy, he’ll get a chance to redeem himself in just three days, when the Niners face the Giants on Thursday night. New York’s defense has looked extremely shaky through two weeks, giving up 68 points combined to the Cowboys and Cardinals.