Brock Purdy, the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, suffered a late-game elbow injury during Monday night's 40-34 loss to the Detroit Lions, prompting concern among fans and teammates. The injury occurred in the final moments when Purdy was sacked by Lions safety Brian Branch. Following the hit, Purdy described his elbow as feeling "on fire," raising alarms about the status of his previously injured ligament which he had surgically repaired. 49ers' coach Kyle Shanahan characterized the incident as involving "nerve stuff," noting that the initial assessment seemed to show no significant damage to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) he injured in the 2022 NFC Championship Game. According to USA Today, Purdy is awaiting further testing to determine the extent of the injury but remains optimistic about playing in Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite recording a career-high 377 passing yards in the game, Purdy's performance dwindled towards the end, culminating in his replacement by Joshua Dobbs, who managed to lead a touchdown drive after Purdy's exit. If sidelined, Purdy would join a lengthy list of injured 49ers players this season, which includes notable figures like Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams, as the team finishes the year with a disappointing 6-10 record.

Information from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that the injury may be "like a funny bone-type of situation," implying limited long-term impact. Purdy himself expressed determination to play despite the injury, stating, "I want to finish the season with our guys,” and emphasizes the significance of ending the season on a positive note for the upcoming year. Even amid a troubled season, his fervor for competing remains unwavering, noting, “I’m going to be out on the field any chance I get” (SFGate).