The 49ers QB noted that he’s already undergoing rehab with physical therapist Keith Kocher, a “baseball guy” in Arizona.
Purdy is wearing a large elbow brace designed to allow movement to ensure his arm retains mobility post-surgery, whereas a layperson would typically be in a cast. The young QB noted that the brace makes it appear he has a “robotic arm.”
“When you first get in it after surgery, you’re in it at 90 degrees. From there, you can start opening it up to help with your range of motion,” Purdy said of the brace. “It is just to keep your arm safe when you’re out walking around or doing therapy. But at night, I can take it off and just do some normal motions with just looking at my arm.
“But yeah, out in public, it looks like I have a robotic arm.”
The Niners brass openly admitted that the former seventh-round pick has a leg up on the starting gig over Lance if he’s healthy enough to be ready for the season. At this point, we won’t know whether he’ll be cleared before the season or potentially as late as Week 4, given the timeline Shanahan put out last week.
But Purdy’s goal is clear: Get back to the NFC Championship Game again and prove last year’s loss would have gone differently had he not been injured on the first drive.
“That’s to get back to the NFC championship and win the Super Bowl,” Purdy said. “You do have to get past (the injury). But at the same time you have to sort of 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 or anything. I’m going to learn from it and we’re going to get better.”