Timing can be so cruel sometimes. On the day when Brock Purdy was revealed to be ranked the 28th-best player on the NFL's annual top 100 list, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback threw four interceptions at training camp. Despite all the success he has already enjoyed in the league, the former Mr. Irrelevant is constantly scrutinized.
Many believe Purdy is mainly a beneficiary of a stacked San Fran offense and would flounder on teams that possess less star power. A poor practice outing only paves the way for further criticism.
Though, for those who share the huddle with him, one bad afternoon does not overshadow the body of work the 24-year-old has already amassed with the 49ers. Nor is it a grave concern.
49ers' Brock Purdy has the faith of his teammates
“Putting the pads on, the pass rush starts to get a little more real,” All-Pro fullback Kyle Juszczyk said, according to Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports. “So, it may take a day or two to adjust, but I’m not here to make excuses for Brock. I’m sure he will speak on that more, but I only expect good things from him.”
Purdy completed 69.4 percent of his passes while throwing for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns (11 interceptions). He posted an NFL-best 113.0 passer rating, often making the sensible play to help San Francisco move the chains. The breakout campaign earned him Pro Bowl honors and a fourth-place finish in the MVP race.
Along the way, the Iowa State alum got tripped up on a few hurdles. He endured turnover troubles during an October stretch in which the Niners lost three straight games and threw four interceptions (just as he did Tuesday) in a primetime matchup against the Baltimore Ravens late in the regular season. Purdy also labored at times during the playoffs, which brought out plenty of “I told you so” reactions.
But the underestimated signal-caller learned from his mistakes, adjusted and improved.
Purdy has proven he can bounce back
Purdy used his legs to extend drives and made clutch throws in crunch time to ultimately lead the franchise back to the Super Bowl. Although the 49ers once again fell short to the Kansas City Chiefs, he mustered a decent effort.
And yet, his performance was not stellar enough to silence the skeptics. Purdy and his teammates are determined to avenge their latest bout of championship heartbreak during the 2024-25 campaign. In order to complete this mission, he must continue to have a short memory and correct his mistakes.
Kyle Juszczyk is not worried in the slightest about his QB's ability to put the training camp blunders behind him. He has seen too much to think otherwise.
“Just kind of going off of Brock and the three years I’ve been with him, he’s a super competitive guy,” Juszczyk said. “He expects a lot of himself, but he always seems to handle those things well. He isn’t throwing a temper tantrum or anything like that, but he’s still hard on himself and generally stays pretty positive.”
Brock Purdy will look to do what he does best on Wednesday– respond to adversity by getting back to the grind.
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