San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has made his first public comments since undergoing ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) surgery, after suffering an injury in the NFC Championship game.
The surgery, which is common among baseball pitchers, is less common in football and can take up to 12 months to fully recover
“I think you have to move on, you have to start taking it one day at a time,” Purdy explained, speaking on the Roc & Manuch with Jimmy B on Fox Sports 910AM in Phoenix.
“Be where your feet are at. Stay in the present. Understand that we have a goal for this next season, which is to get back to the NFC championship and win the Super Bowl.
“You do have to get past it. At the same time, you have to remember the things that happen that make you who you are.
“For me, I’m not going to let something like that tear me down. I’m going to learn from it and get better.
Brock Purdy’s surgery went well
While UCL surgery can be a daunting prospect for any athlete, there have been many success stories of players who have gone on to have successful careers after undergoing the procedure.
For example, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani had UCL surgery in 2018 and has since been named an All-Star and won the American League Rookie of the Year award.
Additionally, New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka had the surgery in 2014 and has since continued to have a successful career in the major leagues.
“The minute I went out and had surgery, the head athletic trainer Dustin Little was out there with me,” Purdy explained, as he detailed the support he’s had from the 49ers.
“They’ve called in every day. They come out, they make sure I’m doing well.
“I’m with a specialist out here who’s done this rehab on the elbow hundreds of thousands of times.”
