49ers quarterback Brock Purdy had to exit in the first quarter of Sunday’s NFC Championship against the Philadelphia Eagles with an elbow injury.
Purdy was injured when Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick sacked Purdy after beating tight end Tyler Kroft on the right side of the offensive line.
After the 49ers defense forced a 3-and-out on the next Eagles series, Purdy wasn’t able to return to the huddle with the 49ers offense. He tried to throw on the sideline before visiting the medical blue tent. Purdy returned to the sideline but Josh Johnson and the Niners failed to get a first down on the next possession.
This marks the third quarterback injury for the 49ers, as Trey Lance (foot/ankle) was lost in Week 2 and Jimmy Garoppolo (foot/ankle) was injured in Week 13. Purdy, the final pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has been a remarkable story since taking over for Garoppolo, posting 18 total touchdowns and 3 interceptions while leading the 49ers to eight straight wins.
Backup quarterback Josh Johnson entered the game with 4:50 left in the first quarter. The 36-year-old journeyman was brought on after Garoppolo’s injury. Garoppolo is rehabbing but was unavailable for Sunday’s game, though there's a chance he could be ready if the Niners make the Super Bowl. It marked the first playoff action in Johnson's 10-year NFL career.
According to John Dickinson of 95.7 The Game, Purdy was working out on the sideline trying to get back on the field.
It was a rough start to the game for the 49ers, as All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner missed a few plays on the game's opening drive with a stinger and All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa was also caught by TV cameras laboring on the sideline late in the first quarter after getting leg whipped on a play that spilled out of bounds.
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