San Francisco 49ers players cleaned out their lockers Tuesday after their season came to a gut-wrenching end Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.
The players were each given a box to load up their personal items and move back home after the squad fell one game short of making the Super Bowl.
"Just very appreciative," tight end George Kittle said. "Stringing along 12 wins, especially after starting the way we started, was awesome."
All eyes were on quarterback Brock Purdy and his throwing elbow. He tore his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and will get more imaging to determine how long it will keep him off the field.
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"We’re still looking at the severity of what the UCL looks like, how it is…different options in terms of letting it recover, surgery, all these different types of surgeries," Purdy said.
It's unclear how long Purdy will be sidelined for. He said he will be getting more medical opinions.
He also said he's disappointed in how the season ended for him and the team.
"Leading up to that moment or up until that game and then to go out like that, it just sucks," he said. "It’s a shame for all the guys that've been here for awhile and even the guys that just got here."
Meanwhile, quarterback Trey Lance said he's now pain free for the first time just this month after breaking his ankle in Week 2.
"I plan on being 100% far before OTAs," he said. "Probably 3-3.5 weeks out from being totally cleared from today so I feel like I’m in a real good spot."
With the players heading home, the focus shifts to next season.
"As cliché as it is to say that we’ll be back next year better than ever, that’s kind of just the mindset," linebacker Fred Warner said.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were not available Tuesday. They are expected to speak some time this week.
