It's been over two years since the San Francisco 49ers selected Brock Purdy with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, making the former Iowa State quarterback “Mr. Irrelevant.” But as we quickly learned, never before has a Mr. Irrelevant been just so relevant. After injuries knocked both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo out for the entire 2022 season, Purdy took over as San Francisco's starter halfway through his rookie year, and left no doubt that the job should be his last year, as he led the 49ers to their seventh Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. Now, Purdy looks to take the next step in his evolution… one that could go a long way in shedding the perception that Mr. Irrelevant is nothing more than a system quarterback thriving under Kyle Shanahan.
“I want to be dominant,” Brock Purdy said bluntly, per Mike Silver of The San Francisco Chronicle. “There were moments last year in games where I would just — I don’t know what it was in the situation — but we’d be up and it’s, ‘Alright, be smart with the ball,’ or ‘Let’s just make sure we don’t mess up.’ I want to break through that and get to this point of just being dominant, for four quarters, man. That’s my mindset.”
Brock Purdy explained that the inspiration for this mindset — the one where a quarterback can take over a game in the 2nd half and extend a lead to the point that it is out of reach — is seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Purdy even referred to it as, “that Tom Brady kind of feeling.” In order to live in this mindset on game days, Brock Purdy is required to embody it throughout every practice of the season, just as Tom Brady would.
“Every down. Every series. Every rep,” Purdy noted to Silver.
What helps is that even as Brock Purdy puts this responsibility on his own shoulders, he doesn't need to shoulder that entire burden all alone. There is a stable of playmakers in San Francisco that can make life much easier for their young quarterback.
The 49ers have surrounded Brock Purdy with the NFL's best supporting cast
There are several factors that could explain why Brock Purdy's transition from playing in slugfests in the Big 12 to leading one of the NFL's most dynamic offenses has been so smooth. The influence of Kyle Shanahan certainly plays a large role, as does the fact that the entire league clearly missed on the upside that Purdy possesses. But it cannot be understated how important it has been for Brock Purdy's development that he gets to distribute the ball to the likes of Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Deebo Samuel.
Even within an offense that is littered with numerous All-Pro's and in McCaffrey's case, a legitimate MVP candidate, the days where Brock Purdy sits back and lets anyone else take command of the offense are long gone.
“It was second-and-long and we had one timeout, and I was expecting (Deebo Samuel) to be 12 yards (upfield) for a first down and get out of bounds,” Purdy recalled regarding a recent practice scenario. “It was the perfect look for it and everything. I’m dropping back confident, and I rip it and then all of a sudden he just runs the wrong route and breaks in. And as the ball’s coming out of my hand, I’m already screaming.”
Every down. Every series. Every rep. Even if those reps are coming in late July.
Follow Us
Subscribe
