All eyes were on 49ers second-year quarterback Brock Purdy on Thursday as he made his return to the field for the first time since sustaining a UCL injury in his right elbow in San Francisco's season-ending NFC Championship Game loss.
While a player returning from injury could take an emotional toll on the team, especially after the heartbreaking and insufferable loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, 49ers star offensive tackle Trent Williams kept things frank and in perspective while speaking to the media after Day 2 of practice.
"No emotions. It’s football," Williams said. "We’re all happy to see him back, and we’re happy the surgery was successful. He’s 100 percent. Moreso than a teammate, he’s a family member to us, so his health is always first [priority.]
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"Everybody is excited whenever we get anybody back from injury."
As Purdy recovered from surgery to repair a torn UCL in his throwing elbow in March, many were concerned about whether he would return in time for Week 1 of the 2023 season.
But the 23-year-old signal-caller followed a strict timeline plan to assure he'd be cleared and ready to go. Williams said he kept in contact with the young quarterback throughout the offseason, so Purdy's quick return didn't come as much of a surprise to him.
San Francisco 49ers
While Purdy overthrew his targets on a pair of deep passes to Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, he proved that he's healthy and that his arm is ready for launching.
"He seems like Brock," Williams said. "Brock is rock-solid mentally. He doesn’t get flustered very easily. He took the whole process like a champ. If he was going through anything, I couldn’t tell."
Purdy was tossed into the mix in his first NFL season following the injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. He led the team to eight straight victories and one win away from Super Bowl LVII. Playing on a team with plenty of quarterback questions and concerns, Purdy has maintained his even-keeled mindset and earned coach Kyle Shanahan's starting quarterback role.
New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks could sense the different vibe of having Purdy back on the field.
"Well, I think it's great energy across the board," Wilks said Thursday. "We know what he can do. We know what he was able to establish last year, so guys feed off him. Just my perspective, I've seen all those guys progress and get better. Trey's done a tremendous job back in the spring as well, but Purdy does bring a level of excitement."
With Purdy back and the presumed starter for the upcoming season, the 49ers are ready to build off what he and the team accomplished last season in hopes of returning to the Super Bowl.