The San Francisco 49ers made a change to Brock Purdy’s practice schedule this week, and it is one that has fans concerned with Week 1 rapidly approaching.
Reporters in attendance at 49ers practice on Monday noticed that Purdy was not on the field for warmups. He did take part in the session, but he threw a lot less than he had in the weeks prior. Head coach Kyle Shanahan later told the media that the team has cut Purdy’s pitch count in half from around 700 throws per week to 350 throws
Brock Purdy's pitch count, according to Kyle Shanahan, is about 700 throws per week. The 49ers wanted to cut that in half this week, to about 350, and that's why Purdy was throwing a bit less during early drills on Monday
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 30, 2023
The 49ers also sent out a memo saying the reduction in throws was part of Purdy’s rehab plan all along.
#49ers representative shared Brock Purdy is on a "pitch count" that was part of the rehab plan from the beginning. He is fine. https://t.co/CcT6U109aF
— Jennifer Lee Chan – also bluesky @jenniferleechan (@jenniferleechan) August 28, 2023
Purdy suffered an elbow injury during the NFC Championship Game last season that required surgery. We have heard nothing but positive things about his rehab. The 49ers said on August 14 that they had removed all practice restrictions for Purdy. Some are concerned that the change to Purdy’s throwing limit could indicate he suffered a setback or is experiencing fatigue in his elbow.
Time will tell, but there is no reason to believe Purdy is in danger of missing Week 1. The Niners are likely just playing it safe.
