San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is coming off of a fantastic 2023 campaign in which he finished fourth in MVP voting and led his team to a Super Bowl appearance, but quarterbacks coach Brian Griese is expecting Purdy to take an even bigger step in 2024.
In what area?
Becoming a better leader.
“The most important thing is Brock continuing to grow off the field in a leadership role within this organization,” Griese said, via Grant Cohn of All 49ers. “I know it's no small feat to be the face of a franchise and the leader of an organization, and that takes time to get the confidence and be comfortable in that position and understand all the little things you do during the course of a day, a week, a month that lend into that, and Brock is growing in that area, and I think that's really cool.”
Griese added that Purdy will continue to get more comfortable as he grows.
“I think it's just a confidence thing,” Griese said. “When you first get here, it's a lot. Look at what (rookie undrafted free agent quarterback) Tanner Mordecai is going through now. You're swimming mentally. And it's hard to be assertive and demonstrative and a leader when you're thinking a whole lot about your job. So definitely I've seen Brock grow in those areas and he needs to continue to.”
Brock Purdy is certainly turning into the face of the 49ers
What Purdy has done over the last two seasons is truly astounding.
The 24-year-old entered is rookie campaign as the third-string quarterback behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, but was pressed into starting duty as a result of season-ending duties to both players.
He ended up making five starts in 2023 and leading the 49ers all the way to the NFC Championship Game, where he exited after just four passes due to an elbow injury. Then, his past season, he threw for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 69.4 percent of his passes and posting a league-high passer rating of 113.
Purdy even went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, ultimately losing in overtime.
It's crazy to think that last season was actually Purdy's first full year as the 49ers' starting quarterback.
Of course, Purdy has still dealt with plenty of criticism. Many feel he is a game manager. Others say he is a product of Kyle Shanahan's system. Whatever the case may be, no one can deny that the Iowa State product—who was taken with the last pick of the 2023 NFL Draft—has been sensational early on.
The question is, can he sustain it?
Purdy certainly seems to have the right attitude. He doesn't let the negativity from the media bother him. He simply goes out and plays ball, and does a pretty good job in doing so. He also has a terrific set of teammates that will help put him in position to succeed in 2024.
San Francisco has been labeled the favorites to win the Super Bowl next February by oddsmakers, so there is plenty of pressure on Purdy going into September. But you kind of get the feeling that none of that will affect him.
Regardless of what all of his critics are saying, it seems safe to say that, right now, Purdy is on his way to becoming the face of one of the most prestigious franchises in sports.
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